Delayed
by hoshiakari7
Summary: Draco Malfoy isn't a particularly patient man. So when his flight is delayed, he considers it to be his own brand of hell. But when Hermione Granger approaches him, he thinks he has her all figured out. What happens when he keeps running into her after having resigned himself to the fact that he'd likely never see her again? Non-magical A/U. Three part one-shot. DM/HG
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So I got the idea for this one-shot one night while waiting for my flight to New York. There will be two more parts which will be published on Wednesday and Friday. I hope you enjoy it.

As usual, all mistakes are my own.

Disclaimer: Hermione Granger et all belong to JK Rowling. I merely like to play with her characters. ;)

* * *

Draco Malfoy did not consider himself to be an especially patient man.

So it was his own brand of hell when his flight was delayed by four hours. He grumbled under his breath as he made his way to the corner of the terminal where he knew he wouldn't be bothered, dropping his leather bag rather unbecomingly despite the various costly electronics it housed.

He huffed out a breath, continuing to mutter about 'incompetent airlines' as he shrugged out of his expensive black coat and draped it across the seat next to him as a precaution. He sank back into the seat, crossing his arms rather sullenly as he observed how the holidays screwed with people's heads, demanding to know why the flight was delayed; he smirked, not wholly surprised to see how the upcoming Christmas holiday seemed to bring out the worst in humanity.

Suddenly remembering the book in his bag, he quickly snatched it out and inspected the cover.

 _I can't imagine Kimberly in a bookstore. I honestly would have paid good money to see her look for this. As a matter of fact, I was caught totally off-guard by her gift. I expected a tie or cufflinks, perhaps, anything but a book. How did she even know I'm a fan? Even so, I'm glad—_

His ears perked at the sound of tentative footsteps headed his way and looked up. A sly smile curled the corners of his lips as he caught a woman brazenly staring at his crotch as she approached.

 _Not a shy one, is she?_

She looked up to meet his eyes and turned an enticing shade of pink once she discovered she'd been caught but continued to make her way to him. Draco watched her keenly, taking note of her appearance.

What first caught his attention was her hair. It was a mane of riotous curls that looked as though they were trying to escape from the confines of her ponytail. Her hair was dark brown though when the light hit it from a certain angle, he could pick out the auburn and honey tones in it. Her face had a pretty heart shape, slightly accentuated by the widow's peak and Draco found her dark eyes to look rather doe-like. From what he could see, her nose was slightly upturned but he found that it suited her nicely. Her lips are what caught his attention last; they were plump and rosy, made even more so by the fact that she was nibbling on her lower lip.

Her clothes were unexceptional, in Draco's opinion. She wore a black pea coat with a colorful scarf looped around her neck. Her legs were encased in denim and her feet were clad in trainers. All in all, he found her to be passably pretty despite her nondescript clothing.

 _I certainly wouldn't kick her out of bed. Bugger… focus, Draco._

She stopped a few feet before him and he watched her with a polite expression on his face, feeling inwardly amused as she shifted uneasily from foot to foot.

"Excuse me, I hardly ever do this but…" she trailed off nervously, glancing once more at his crotch.

 _Oh, I bet you don't. Let's see… hit me with your best pick-up line, sweetheart. Impress me._

"—I was wondering what you thought of the book."

Draco blinked owlishly, dropping his gaze to his lap before feeling like the ultimate fool. He fought a blush and looked up at the woman, who was watching him interestedly.

"You see, I'm a big fan of the series and I would have ordinarily bought it myself but I've been promised that it'd waiting for me under the tree… so I have to wait to read it," she continued, sounding mildly put out.

Draco continued to watch the woman, momentarily speechless as she eyed him expectantly.

 _Speak, you fool! Say something, anything._

"I was about to start reading it myself, actually," he found himself answering.

"Oh."

"I, too, would have bought it on my own but it was a gift from a _friend_ ," Draco smirked.

 _Wait, why did I tell her that? It's not like me to over share, especially with strangers. Gods, the delay must be getting to me worse than I thought._

" _Oh_ ," she blushed once again although he could spy a smile curling the edges of her lips. "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt…"

"It's quite alright," Draco answered, waving his hand airily.

The woman watched him intently for a moment, furrowing her brow before seeming to come to a decision.

"Would you… would you mind terribly if I sat with you?" she questioned, lowering her eyes to the floor and looking at him from under her eyelashes.

Draco's tongue felt as though it was stuck to the roof of his mouth and he nodded clumsily, removing his coat and setting it over his leather bag. He saw the woman take a seat next to him from the corner of his eye, setting down her backpack at her feet before turning to him.

"Thanks," she beamed at him. "My friends are constantly teasing me for being an avid lover of the series. I think there's something extraordinary about having the ability to produce magic, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes," Draco responded immediately.

 _Gods, what's happening to me?_

Her eyes practically twinkled as she gave him a pleased smile and he found that the color reminded him of his favorite dark chocolate truffles while the light dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks brought to mind one of his favorite spices, cinnamon.

Draco felt mildly horrified by the way he was turning into a sap by this stranger and pushed his thoughts away as he forced himself to speak.

"My best mate is constantly ribbing me for enjoying the series, so I definitely understand. Then again, we can't quite expect everybody to love something just because we're interested in it," he shrugged.

"Very true," she agreed, looking somewhat chastised.

 _Hmm… do my ears deceive me or does she have an accent?_

"Have you read the previous books?" he questioned, shifting in his seat to make himself more comfortable.

"Have I? Of course!" she grinned. "There's not one midnight release I haven't attended."

"Bookworm, are we?" Draco teased her, groaning inwardly at his playfulness a second later.

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it," she muttered.

"Oh?" he questioned, feeling curious despite himself.

"I have a bookshelf full of books I have yet to read," she admitted, biting her lip timidly as a pink exploded on her cheeks.

 _I definitely hear an accent… she's probably going home for the holidays as well._

Draco barked out a genuine laugh and shook his head while she smiled sheepishly. He tried not to dwell on how comfortable he felt talking to a perfect stranger and focused on her face.

 _She looks rather fetching when she blushes._

A sudden shout caught their attention and they turned and watched as a would-be passenger gesticulated wildly at the poor woman behind the desk.

"Looks like the delay is putting a dent in everybody's schedule," she observed quietly, giving her head a small shake.

"Yes, but there's no need to be taking it out somebody who doesn't deserve the backlash," Draco snorted before freezing.

 _Christ, did I really just say that? What is this woman doing to me?_

"There's impoliteness everywhere, most unfortunately," the woman sighed.

 _You don't even know how true that is._

"I'm going to guess you're going back home…?" Draco trailed off, realizing he didn't know her name.

"Oh, my apologies! My name is… I'm Hermione," she said, pressing her lips into a smile.

"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. A pleasure, Hermione," he said, surprised by the frankness in his statement.

" _Draco_?" she questioned, eyes wide.

He felt his face redden and glared at the woman.

"You're one to talk… _Hermione,_ " Draco bristled, both deeply offended and ashamed.

"No, no! Please don't misunderstand, I'm not laughing at your name. You see… I was fascinated with dragons when I was a young girl," she confessed, blushing brightly. "I used to have quite the collection of dragon stuffed toys. To meet someone by the name of _Draco_ , well… it's almost a dream come true for the little girl who delighted reading books about dragons."

Draco stared at Hermione and knew his cheeks were undoubtedly pink but he couldn't even find the words to chastise himself.

"That's not the usual reaction I receive when I introduce myself. It's a pleasant change, I think," he muttered, feeling rattled by Hermione's candidness.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her leg before leaning her elbow against her knee.

"Better than having a boring name like John or Kimberly," Hermione said, scoffing playfully.

Draco couldn't help but grin at her statement, thinking of his lady friend.

"I rather like your name too. I take it your parents are Shakespeare fans?"

"They are, but they're even bigger fans of Greek mythology," she chuckled, as if remembering an amusing joke.

"Oh?" he asked, wanting to know more.

"My mum's name is Helen… and my dad's Paris," Hermione explained, an affectionate smile on her face.

Draco stared at her for a heartbeat before chuckling.

"It would have been even more perfect if your father's name had been Menelaus."

"Right?" Hermione tittered, daintily covering her mouth with her fingertips.

 _How lady-like. This woman continues to surprise me._

"My parent's names are Narcissa and Lucius. They chose Draco for me because there's a tradition from my mother's side of the family to be named after constellations," Draco explained. "From my father's side, it's tradition to have the son's middle name come from their father… so I'm Draco Lucius Malfoy."

"Ooh, I love the idea of naming someone after a constellation! That's such a lovely tradition. Your name does sound rather regal," Hermione mused, watching him intensely. "It fits you."

Draco swallowed thickly, commanding himself not to blush like a teenage girl.

"Thank you," he murmured. "Have you a middle name, Hermione? Or a surname for that matter?"

"My middle name's Jean. I think my parents chose something so mundane to counteract the strangeness of my first name," she laughed.

"And your surname?" Draco pressed.

"My surname's… Granger," she answered, sounding a tad hesitant.

 _Granger, Granger… have I heard of any Grangers?_

"Hermione Jean Granger… it suits you too," Draco said, smirking.

She blushed and looked down at her feet.

 _Is she not used to being complimented?_

"So, Hermione Jean Granger, what is it that you do?"

"I'm… I work at a hospital," she answered vaguely.

 _Hmm… she must be holding back for a reason. Perhaps she's ashamed of her job?_

"Oh, the hours must be brutal," Draco commented slyly, hoping she would open up.

"I'm used to it by now," she smiled wryly. "What is it that you do?"

"I run a business. Or rather, what used to be my father's business but has been handed down to me."

"Oh, that's so interesting! My parents are dentists, so they were a bit disappointed when I chose a different pathway. I think they were hoping to pass down the practice to me. But the heart wants what the heart wants, right?" she chuckled impishly.

 _So her parents are dentists. Interesting. I don't think I've heard of them._

"Too true. I remember there was a time period I tried rebelling because I didn't want to be bullied into running the business. I eventually warmed up to it, though."

"What changed your mind?" Hermione queried, cocking her head slightly.

"Well, traveling is a huge perk. I get to meet with companies in different countries so I'd like to think I'm well-traveled by this point."

"Oh, you're so lucky! I wish I could travel more but my schedule doesn't always allow it," she sighed ruefully.

 _Maybe she's not happy with her job? Christ, I've always prided myself on being able to read people but I find myself at a loss with her._

"At least you're going home for Christmas, right?" Draco asked, finding that he wanted to soothe her.

 _Hang on… if she's going home for the holidays, does that mean she lives here? Damn. Must find out more._

"And New Year's," she said, quirking a smile at him. "Not only will I get to see my parents but I'll be able to catch up with my friends from school as well."

"That's great. So you're heading home for two weeks?"

"Yep. Then back to the same old," she joked.

"You live here, then?"

"Here, in New York? Christ, no. I live in Seattle," she smiled pleasantly at him.

"I don't think I've ever been to Seattle," Draco frowned.

"I quite like it there. You should visit sometime."

 _Is that an invitation or…?_

"Perhaps someday," he smiled furtively. "What I'm curious about is what an English girl, one who clearly loves her parents and friends, is doing in the United States."

Hermione gave him a sly look before chuckling softly.

"You don't miss a thing, do you, Draco?"

His chest tightened at how smoothly his name rolled from her tongue and chastised himself inwardly but gave her a cheeky grin. He was unused to having people call him by his name, save for his family and friends although he found that he didn't mind so much when she did it.

"A big factor for moving away… well… my then boyfriend had been dropping not so subtle hints about getting married after graduation. I think part of me panicked and instead of talking things out, I ran away as fast as I could. I'd always had big plans for my future and being someone's little wife didn't feature in them," she answered bluntly.

Draco couldn't help but feel impressed by Hermione's ambition and applauded her internally.

"Ouch. Bet he didn't take that well."

"Not at all," she chuckled, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "But we'd been friends long before being a couple and have since repaired our friendship, thank goodness."

"Out of curiosity, why did think you'd be playing wife?"

"Because Ron is _such_ a momma's boy. Sorry, that's an expression that's rubbed off from my American colleagues," she grinned. "But I digress. In his eyes, she's the pinnacle of what a woman ought to be and… I couldn't have possibly lived up to those standards without ending up disappointing him. There's no doubt in my mind I would have ended up resenting him for wanting me to be someone I'm not, too."

 _Huh… so she's not completely opposed to marriage, it seems. Just the possibility of being shackled down by it._

"So the two of you are friends? Only friends?" Draco asked, arching an eyebrow.

Hermione stared blankly at him before understanding his question and blushed.

"Just friends, no benefits," she laughed. "Although I'm no stranger to that game. Seems to me like you aren't either."

Her eyes fell on his book and smirked at him. Draco was speechless for a moment, not quite being used to having an English (if slightly Americanized) rose speak so bluntly to him.

"Well… no," he admitted, cursing the blush on his cheeks.

"Funnily enough, my former one is the one who gifted me the book. Seems like yours has that in common with him."

Draco almost choked and ended up coughing while Hermione chuckled.

"'Former'?" he asked, feeling a dangerous sort of curiosity.

"Well, yes. I was forced to sever our liaison. He mentioned wanting to come visit my parents with me and that's when I knew he'd gotten too comfortable. It was fun while it lasted but I can't be bothered to invest myself in a relationship at this point in my life. My career will always come first," she shrugged.

Again, Draco felt impressed by Hermione's commitment to her job.

 _So that means that she couldn't possibly have a menial job at the hospital, right?_

"You'll have your career, yes… but what happens when you go back to an empty home?" Draco found himself asking.

He paused and then cursed his tongue.

Hermione looked rather taken aback as well because she stared as though he was a puzzle she'd like to piece together.

"I may know very little of you, Draco Malfoy… but I was not expecting that," she told him quietly.

"What were you expecting?" he countered, unsure whether he really wanted to hear her answer.

"You're young, handsome and wealthy by the look of you. You travel frequently and there's no doubt in my mind you have a _friend_ in every city you've ever been. I doubt there would even be a woman who would turn you down… so why would you lament the fact that all you'd have at the end of the day would be an empty home when it seems like you're living the ideal life?" Hermione queried gently, looking into his eyes.

Draco tried not to be surprised by her shrewdness but couldn't help but feel slightly ashamed by the way she stated things even if they happened to be true.

"I'm not entirely sure where it came from, to be honest," he replied softly. "You're absolutely right in all your observations. I do have everything a man could possibly ever want: I can get laid without the commitment along with the money to do everything my heart desires. Strangely enough… it wasn't until now that I've realized just how… _empty_ my life really is."

Hermione's gaze softened and she licked her lips.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't mean to sound like I'm judging you because I'm really not. I—"

"I know, Hermione. I just… I don't know. Maybe it's your maturity bringing out mine," he joked weakly.

Draco noticed how her hand closed into a tight fist before hesitantly reaching out, slowly uncurling her fingers and ever so gently resting them against his arm. He felt a tiny jolt upon her touching him before the warmth of them seeped through the material of his shirt.

 _Christ, I'm going 'round the twist._

"There's nothing wrong with your life, Draco. If you're happy, that's all that matters," she smiled kindly at him.

He nodded dumbly, unable to look away from her dark eyes.

 _Am I really happy, though?_

He tried not to dwell on the hole he felt in his stomach and instead focused on the warmth of Hermione's eyes.

She startled suddenly, clapping her hands against her stomach and blushed to the roots of her hair. Draco eyed her curiously, partly amused and cocked his head as he tried not to think about how he already missed her touch.

"I hadn't realized how hungry I was until now. Would you like to have…" she pushed the sleeve of her coat back and widened her eyes when she looked at her watch. "Christ, have we really been here for two hours already? Time sure flies…"

 _Two hours? I hadn't expected that._

"Would I like to have dinner? I'd love it, actually. Seems you've passed your hunger to me," he chuckled, feeling his stomach rumble.

"Great! I know just the restaurant," she grinned, jumping to her feet and grabbing her backpack.

Draco rose to his feet, sliding the strap of his bag (or man purse, as Blaise liked to joke) on his shoulder and draped his coat on his arm before turning to Hermione and motioning for her to lead the way. He noticed that she walked briskly though he had no trouble keeping up with her and eyed as her curls bounced with every step she took.

 _I kind of wish she took that coat off… I'm absurdly curious as to what she looks like underneath it._

Once they reached their destination, Draco was amazed that they were given a table right away. After sitting, he heard Hermione grunt softly before standing and unbuttoning her coat impatiently. Draco felt oddly giddy as he watched a sliver of her jumper appear. She shrugged off her coat gracefully, folding it neatly next to her and taking a seat once more.

Draco, on the other hand, glued his eyes on to the menu as to not look like a perverted creep and met her gaze innocently.

"Comfortable, are we?" he teased.

"Definitely!" she laughed, moving her arms without restraint.

Draco's eyes flickered to her thick jumper, which was a navy blue hue. To say she looked cozy wearing it was an understatement; Draco let his imagination roam for a moment as he wondered what it would be like to cuddle with her. The deep blue complimented the olive undertones in her skin and Draco realized that aside from the spray of freckles on her face, her skin was flawless. She played with the ends of her scarf and Draco wanted to see that go too; it made him feel slightly vampiric that he wanted to take a gander at her neck.

"So what are your plans for Christmas?" Hermione queried, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, well… someone I know is hosting a party so I'll probably be attending that," Draco shrugged. "What about you?"

"Same, except my childhood friend is hosting the one I'm attending," she smiled.

"Christmas party, how original," Draco drawled.

 _What would be the odds of it being the same party? Although I'm sure Potter can't be the only person hosting a party that evening…_

"Have you done all your Christmas shopping, then?" Hermione asked him eagerly.

"Don't tell me you're one of those people who start their Christmas shopping after Halloween?"

"No! That's practically sacrilege. There's nothing like shopping to Christmas music and the scent of peppermint and fir trees in the air," she grinned. "I do my shopping at the beginning at the month that way I don't run into one of those last-minute nutters."

Draco snorted softly but smirked.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with a little last-minute shopping," he defended playfully.

"Ah… of course you'd be one of them. I should have known," Hermione sighed mournfully though her eyes sparkled.

"Is that so?"

"You seemed perfect in every other way, so there _had_ to be something wrong with you. Naturally," she said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Draco's words got caught in his throat as he watched her smile good-naturedly at him.

 _Good God, man! Get a hold of yourself! Not the first time you've been called perfect, even if she's just joking._

"So you think I'm perfect?" he smirked at her.

" _I_ think _you_ think you're perfect," she quipped cheekily.

Draco let out a genuine laugh and felt something in his chest tighten when she joined him.

There wasn't one dull moment during Draco's dinner with Hermione. As a matter of fact, he found himself to be fully engaged in both conversation and banter with her. She was both clever and funny. She was introspective, ambitious and feisty as hell. Draco found himself regretting the moment they'd board the plane because he knew he wouldn't be able to continue talking to her since he was in First Class.

They walked back slowly to the terminal in silence, as if they knew their time together was running out. Not ten minutes later, First Class was called and Draco stood, feeling regret weigh him down.

 _What do I say? Quick, Draco!_

Hermione watched him, curiosity alight in her eyes.

"Well, Hermione, it's been a pleasure. I hope you're not seated next to an obnoxiously annoying person," he joked weakly, feeling his heart begin to race.

"Thanks, Draco," she told him dryly but offering him a smile all the same.

He grabbed his things, grasping his ticket tightly in his hand and turned to Hermione, who had been watching him. She blushed and waved her fingers while Draco smirked, nodding his head at her and tried not to dwell that he was in for a long flight.

 _I can always sleep..._

Draco put stowed his things away, settling the book on his lap and stared at it without really seeing it. He usually loved flying First Class but this trip felt soured by the fact that he wouldn't be able to talk to Hermione any more.

 _What else could I have done? Asked her for her number? Besides, there's a chance I might see her at Heathrow… unless that backpack is all she carried with her._

The passenger next to him dropped their bag loudly on the floor, intruding upon Draco's brooding. He snapped his head toward the person, glaring and with an insult on the tip of his tongue but was struck mute by the familiar smirking face.

"Not obnoxiously annoying, are you? If so, we are in for a long flight," she grinned, sitting down and buckling up.

Draco opened his mouth to retort but found he had no words. Instead, he felt deliriously excited that he was going to spend more hours with her, his heart thumping loudly in his chest cavity.

"But… how?" Draco stuttered out.

Hermione blinked and cocked her head, watching him pensively.

"I get it…" she muttered. "Just because I'm not wearing a suit doesn't mean I'm any less poor than you. Well, I probably am but that's not the point. My point being, just because I choose to dress comfortably doesn't mean anything. I'm not sure why some women bother to wear heels and dresses, especially in a long flight like this. Long story short: don't judge a book by its cover because the contents of said book might just end up surprising you."

But instead of sounding mad, Hermione sounded amused. Draco, on the other hand, felt an immense guilt pool in his gut because that's exactly what he did: he judged her based on her looks.

 _Hadn't I thought her 'passably pretty' when I first saw her? Now, I think she's… she's… well, she's very attractive. Gods, I'm such an idiot. That'll teach me not to mess with her._

"I apologize, Hermione," Draco told her somberly.

"Don't worry about it, Draco… I might've had a few misconceptions about you too," she admitted with a breezy shrug.

"And what might have those been?"

"I was hesitant to approach you because you look like the ultimate power yuppie, snooty and disdainful but… you're not so bad," she grinned at him.

"But that's exactly what I am!" he blurted out.

He blushed when Hermione raised her eyebrows and gave him a questioning look.

"Not with me."

 _And I can't help but wonder why that is._

They continued to chat comfortably until they both decided a nap was in order. Draco's face felt hot at the thought of them napping at the same time because it sounded strangely intimate although he found that he didn't particularly mind. They were settling into their seats when a loud shout was heard.

Hermione straightened and looked around alertly while Draco's heart pounded.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know…"

"Help! Help, someone! Is there a doctor on board?" the flight attendant shouted, voice full of panic. "Please help, a man collapsed!"

Draco saw Hermione swallow thickly and was about to reach out to comfort her. She, however, was too quick for him because she jumped off her seat just as his hand was about to make contact with her shoulder. Curious, he followed her, gently pushing snooping passengers aside.

"I'm a doctor! I'm a doctor, how can I help? What happened?" he heard her ask the flight attendant who was hovering over the collapsed passenger.

 _Wait… what? She's a_ doctor _? How did I did not see that one coming? Shame on me._

"He complained of having chest pain before collapsing!"

"That's not good," he heard Hermione whisper to the flight attendant. "I'll be right back, I need to get my—"

"Please don't go! What if something else happens to him?" the flight attendant pleaded, her eyes wide with fright.

He watched Hermione frown, her brain obviously fast in thought before turning, her face brightening once she spotted him.

"Draco, Draco… there's a medical kit in my backpack, would you please bring it to me?" she asked urgently.

Draco nodded sharply and quickly did as she asked, feeling ridiculously important as he approached Hermione who was giving him a grateful smile.

"Thanks," she murmured.

The flight attendant was clearly going to tell him to go away but Hermione shook her head and said, "I need him here with me."

Draco's ego soared at the words, trying his best not to smile smugly at the woman.

Hermione, on the other hand, had begun to examine the passenger, who was slowly coming to. She spoke to him a low but clear voice, her words soothing but clinical. Draco thought he couldn't be more awed with Hermione, but he was wrong.

 _She's an amazing woman. A doctor… who would've guessed? She_ did _say she worked at a hospital. Why did I insist on thinking she was a nurse? Are women not capable of being doctors too? Damn my mild sexism._

But an annoying voice in the back of his head taunted him, saying that once again he judged her by her looks.

 _Oh, do shut up._

Ten minutes later once the crisis was averted (turns out the man had high blood pressure), they were back in their seat while the flight attendant and the passenger thanked them profusely. When they asked for her name, Hermione answered them reticently.

 _Yet another mystery… even with me she was hesitant to give me her surname. What else are you hiding, Hermione?_

"A doctor, huh?" Draco smirked.

"Oh, hush," Hermione blushed, accepting the free snacks and drinks from the flight attendant.

"Anything you want, Dr. Granger, just say the word!"

"Thanks," she mumbled, biting her lip.

"Are you going to share your loot, or what?" Draco asked, wanting to lighten the mood.

She chuckled before giving him half, to which he stared at her incredulously.

"What?" she shrugged. "You asked me to share."

Draco felt something tug at his chest at the thoughtful gesture.

 _Maybe I should ask her to examine me as well._

"Where did you attend medical school?" he asked her, feeling curious.

"Johns Hopkins," she answered quietly.

Draco whistled quietly, impressed.

"Do you have a specialty?"

"The heart—Cardiology is what I specialize in."

He recalled her joke about the heart wanting what the heart wanted and was about to chuckle belatedly at her joke but noted her subdued mood and settled for munching on pretzels.

"You may not be a dentist, but at least you're still a doctor, right?" he asked her playfully.

To his delight, she beamed at him and nodded.

"Thank you, Draco."

He was taken aback and stared at her.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Because you helped me," she answered simply, giving him a small smile.

"In that case, it's a privilege to aided you."

They both remained quiet afterwards and eventually fell asleep, Draco's mind racing as he realized just how closer to home they were once he woke up.

Once the plane landed, they both gathered their things quietly, exiting together and walking side by side to baggage claim.

 _Come on, buck up, Draco. You can ask her for her number. Hell if I know how many times I've done it before. But that's the thing, right? This time it's different. It's different because of her and you don't want to get rejected. Christ, if Blaise could hear my thoughts, he'd tell me to man up._

Draco grabbed her suitcase for her and gave him a soft 'thanks' before they both continued to head to the exit, his heart pounding tremulously. He was about to open his mouth when a shout caught their attention.

"Mione! Mione! Over here!"

By the way her spine straightened, Draco surmised they were calling out for her.

' _Mione'? What the actual fuck?_

"Ron!"

 _Ron? Ron, as in her ex? The one who she refused to marry because she wanted to be more than someone's little wife? Bloody great._

He watched as the tosser (Draco had already decided to dislike him) approached them and felt revolted by the bloke's mop of ginger hair and freckled face although he looked vaguely familiar to Draco. To make things worse, he was dressed like a vagabond and Draco resisted the urge to sneer at him.

 _I can't believe Hermione dated this bloke._

"Mione, I'm so happy to see you!" the man exclaimed, engulfing her in a fierce hug.

Draco gritted his teeth together, wanting nothing more than to peel the man's gangly limbs off Hermione.

"Thanks for coming for me, Ron," she smiled after they pulled away.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Mione," he said, making cow eyes at her.

Draco felt sickened at the sight.

 _So he's obviously still in love with her. Christ, could the bloke be any more obvious? Apparently not since Hermione is seemingly oblivious to his dubious charms… thank goodness._

It was then that Ron noticed Draco and sent Hermione a glance before she turned to him.

"Oh, Ron! I'd like for you to meet Draco Malfoy. Draco, Ron Weasley," she introduced them, giving Draco a bright smile.

Ron noticed and scowled at Draco.

"How'd you meet… _Draco_ , Mione?"

 _Oh, think my name's funny, you ginger tosser? It's worth more than you can even imagine._

"Ronald Weasley, how many times have I told you not to call me that abhorrent nickname? My name is _Hermione_ ," she chastised him, which tickled Draco to no end. "Gosh, even _Viktor_ was able to pronounce my name correctly."

"Eventually," the ginger petulantly muttered under his breath.

 _Victor? Who the fuck is that?_

"Anyway… he and I met while waiting for our flight. We hit it off pretty fabulously, didn't we Draco?" she winked at him, gently nudging his side.

Draco simply nodded jerkily as Ron grimaced, clearly not liking their camaraderie.

 _Deal with it, freckles._

"That's great, Hermione," the ginger gritted out, sounding like it was anything but.

"Oh, hell… I need to go to the loo," she murmured, blushing. "I'll be right back. You'll still be here, won't you, Draco?"

"Yes," he answered quickly.

"Great! I'll be right back," she smiled at him.

He and the ginger watched her go before the he rounded on Draco.

"Listen, I don't know what your intentions are with her, but I love her," the redhead told him hotly.

"Tell me something I don't know," Draco smirked. "It's evident by the way you keep mooning all over her. I'm quite surprised she hasn't reprimanded you for it."

Ron's face turned an unpleasant shade of puce while Draco cackled inwardly.

"You may think you're all that, but you're not. Riches do not make a man," Ron spat at him, eyeing him bitterly.

"It may not, but it certainly helps," Draco told him smugly.

"Look, you could never deserve her. She has a heart of gold and you… you're a slimy, two-faced arrogant bloke from what I can see. She's too good for you. Besides, like you'd go for her type!" Ron snorted.

Draco, on the other hand, felt both stung and offended on her behalf.

"She's beautiful and you bloody well know that," Draco snapped.

"Yes, I absolutely do. But men like you only want women for one thing and you'd just end up breaking her heart. I know your type," Ron sniffed disdainfully. "Besides, I've been planning on asking her to get back together."

"As if she would make the mistake of telling you yes again. You broke up for a reason, didn't you?" Draco taunted him.

"You know nothing," the redhead glared.

"I beg to differ. _Hermione_ was quite forthcoming," Draco smiled smugly.

" _You son of a_ —"

"You two getting along?" Hermione interrupted, noting each man's tense stance.

"Yes, just peachy," Ron bit out.

"Just swell," Draco drawled.

She gave them each a suspicious look but shrugged.

"Look, Hermione, we should go… it's late enough as it is…"

"Yes, right…" she trailed off, turning to look at Draco.

He looked back at her, taking in her bright brown eyes and her unruly curls.

"Draco… I had a great time," she said, bestowing a bashful smile upon him. "I'm glad I approached you."

"As am I, Hermione," he replied, feeling a sudden case of dry mouth. "I hope you'll enjoy your beneficial book."

Pink bloomed on her cheeks at his words and Draco couldn't help but stare at how lovely she looked.

"Thanks, you prat," she laughed.

Ron cleared his throat pointedly and Draco resisted the urge to snarl at the ginger.

"Well…" Hermione trailed off, biting her lip.

 _C'mon… don't just stand there._

But that's exactly what he did because the light in Hermione's eyes dimmed slightly at his lack of action.

"Well, I hope you have a happy Christmas, Draco," she told him quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"Thanks. Likewise Hermione," he choked out.

The disappointed look in her eyes almost made him call her back but he shut his mouth and watched her go with the redhead, who began chatting eagerly, lightly touching her shoulder and elbow; to make things worse (in Draco's eyes, anyway), he didn't bother to offer to wheel Hermione's luggage for her.

 _You bastard. I may not deserve her, but you do so even less._

To his dismay, Hermione turned to look at him one last time, a sad smile tugging on the corners of her lips before turning around and exiting the airport after her ex.

With his heart in his throat, Draco exited the airport and tried not to dwell on the regret that churned in his belly.

* * *

Sorry guys, I know it seems like I hate Ron but I really don't. XD I'm actually quite ambivalent about the guy.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for everybody's support. I really appreciate it. :) Here's the second part, I hope you enjoy!**

 **All mistakes are mine.**

 **Disclaimer: Still own nothin'.**

* * *

"Draco, good morning," his mother called out to him cheerily.

"Good morning, mother," he responded glumly.

Narcissa Malfoy eyed her son suspiciously as he took a seat before her.

"Sleep well, darling?" she questioned, stirring her tea.

"Not particularly," he muttered just before biting into a scone.

"Oh? Why's that? Is something not to your liking?" she queried, determined to suss out the reason for Draco's sullen behavior.

"Everything is perfect, mother. Really," he told her, giving her a slight smile.

"In that case… I've been meaning to tell you something. Hyacinth simply won't leave me alone."

"Who's Hyancinth?"

"Daphne's mother. You know, the Greengrass matriarch," Narcissa reminded him.

 _As if I could forget Daphne. Christ, what a clingy mess of a woman._

"Oh, right… what about her?"

"She's been trying to get me to persuade you to go out on a date with Astoria. You know, her youngest."

"Right…" Draco sighed inwardly. "Do you think I should do it?"

 _I have a feeling I'm not getting out of this one unscathed._

"I think you should do what makes you happy, son," Narcissa answered simply.

Draco winced inwardly, recalling Hermione's words about his happiness being all that mattered.

"You're not seeing someone, are you? You wouldn't have hesitated before…"

"No! I mean, er, no… I'm not seeing anybody," Draco answered as placidly as he could muster while he added a liberal amount of jam to a scone.

"Then it's settled. I'll let you know of the time and place," his mother told him with a genteel smile.

Draco forced the whole scone into his mouth to avoid answering and downed his tea before excusing himself.

"Something's not quite right here," Narcissa muttered to herself, observing Draco practically shoot up the staircase.

The evening of Draco's blessed date with Astoria, he found himself feeling rather twitchy, constantly smoothing down his black button down shirt and making sure a crease hadn't suddenly bloomed on his pressed grey trousers. He kept tugging at his silver tie, recalling how Hermione had played with the ends of her scarf with a small smile on his lips. He realized he was thinking about her and shook his head violently, slapping his tie against his chest.

 _No, stop! You're being ridiculous… you're about to go on a date and yet you're daydreaming about another woman. Christ, I've got it bad._

Draco's spine stiffened at his thoughts, wide grey eyes staring at his aghast reflection.

 _I… enjoyed her company, for sure. She was interesting to talk to. But to fancy myself… what? In love with her? After spending an evening with her… hell, I don't even know her favorite color or her favorite animal. Although I_ do _know how lovely she looks when I make her blush or the way she bites her lip when she's deep in thought..._

He shook his head vehemently, attempting to shake off his traitorous thoughts.

 _I had a nice time and while I regret not getting her number, well, there's nothing I can do about it now. Best get over it and concentrate on my date with Astoria. The Greengrass girls are known for their beauty, after all. I will be the ultimate gentleman and pay attention to her and converse with her. I will charm her and… well, whatever happens, happens._

Draco nodded before noticing the time and thought he'd best get a move on if he didn't want to arrive late.

 _After all, it'd be rude to keep a lady waiting._

Once Draco arrived at the restaurant, he was relieved to see Astoria hadn't gotten there first. So, he waited patiently for her and wasn't disappointed when she arrived. She was every bit beautiful, if not more so, than her older sister.

Her dark mahogany hair hung in sleek waves down her back, which served to emphasize the flawlessness of her porcelain skin. Her nose was small and sharp but was softened by the fullness of her lips. She had high cheekbones that would undoubtedly make any model jealous and her eyes were the usual Greengrass shade, a soft green hue.

She wore an ice blue dress that made her look like a fairy tale princess. What caught Draco's attention and made him chuckle was the fact that it had a deep v-neck, showing off her cleavage. The dress clung to her waif-like frame, though it showed off her legs quite generously as well.

"Good evening, Draco. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," she told him in a cultivated voice, extending a petite hand dripping in diamonds out for him to shake.

Draco, for his part, couldn't help but arch his brow and nodded, taking her hand in his and releasing it after a quick shake.

 _Christ, could you possibly be trying any less? You should have kissed her hand!_

"It's nice to meet you too, Astoria. Our table's ready… shall we?" Draco questioned politely.

She nodded regally and he motioned for her to walk ahead of him. His eyes slid to her bottom, which was small but perky and Draco smirked appreciatively.

 _Not bad, not bad at all._

After being taken to their table, they began to have idle chit chat and Draco found his mind wandering every once in a while.

 _Focus, damn you. There's a gorgeous woman sitting in front of you… the very least you could do is pay attention to her._

For all of Astoria's beauty and sharp mind, Draco couldn't seem to get into conversation with her. Although she tried... oh, did she try. She kept fluttering her eyelashes at him, stroking her hair and (not so) absentmindedly running her fingertips along her collarbones, clearly trying to entice Draco. It simply served to amuse him how transparent some women could be, Astoria's sister coming to the forefront of Draco's mind.

 _Looks like she learned from the best, didn't she?_

Even so, Draco felt begrudgingly impressed with Astoria for constantly trying to catch and keep his attention. He guffawed inwardly when the waiter nearly spilled champagne on her lap and thought to himself that at least she caught somebody's attention.

"So, Astoria, what do you do?"

"I like to go shopping and—"

"No, no… what do you do? As in, do you have a job?" Draco interrupted, taking a swift sip of champagne.

"Oh… no, I don't have a job. I mean, I did get accepted at Oxford," she smiled smugly.

"And…?"

"I decided not to attend, after all, and traveled instead," she shrugged.

"I see. So you never plan on attending university?"

"Perhaps someday I will. It depends," Astoria shrugged again.

Draco watched her keenly and couldn't help from comparing her to Hermione any longer.

 _Like night and day. I wonder what she's depending on… perhaps finding a rich husband?_

He smiled wryly and simply nodded before Astoria excused herself, sashaying away from the table as though she were on a runway.

 _I've got to hand it to her, the girl never stops trying._

Draco felt his phone buzz and fished it out of his pocket and saw that it was a text from Blaise.

 _hows the d8 going_

He rolled his eyes at his mate's punctuation (or therefore lack of) and was about to reply when…

" _Draco_?"

He stilled for a second before his heart began to hammer in his chest, wondering whether he'd imagined the voice.

 _No, it couldn't be._

Very slowly, he looked up and forced himself not to gape at the woman standing before him.

Hermione broke out into a delighted smile and laughed softly.

"I knew it was you! That hair of yours is rather unique," she told him fondly.

Draco swallowed thickly and was tempted to pinch himself, certain it was a dream.

 _I've certainly dreamed enough about her…_

"Hermione," he told her weakly before clearing his throat. "It's… good to see you. You look…"

She wore a black silk wrap dress that made his mouth run dry.

 _That bulky sweater did her no justice. Christ… she's… spectacular._

It hugged her curves perfectly, showing off her tiny waist and flaring hips. It had a deep neckline as well, though it only showed a hint of cleavage. Draco found himself much more tantalized by hers than Astoria's.

Hermione stretched her hand out when something sparkly caught his attention from the corner of his eye. He focused his gaze on her wrist and was surprised to see a bracelet in the shape of a snake coiled around it as he caught her hand in his.

Draco felt the same jolt when she touched him at the airport, only this time it sent tingles up his arm and all throughout his body. He looked up at her face to see whether she'd felt the same thrum of energy but became distracted by the sudden nearness of her. He froze when he felt her lips brush gently against his cheek and inhaled deeply, feeling mildly intoxicated by her closeness.

Hermione pulled away much too quickly for his taste and heard her chuckle softly.

"Sorry, I've accidentally left my mark on you," she teased, reaching out and wiping her lipstick from his cheek with the pad of her thumb.

Draco felt as though his face was on fire, the spot where she'd kissed him feeling warm as he stared at her.

"How have you been, Draco?"

 _Don't just stare. Answer her, idiot!_

"I've… I've been good, thanks. How about you? Fancy seeing you here," Draco responded, sounding surprisingly unaffected and inwardly patted himself on the shoulder.

"I've been good as well. It's been nice being home. I'd forgotten how much I missed it," she sighed softly but then shook herself. "I'm here because there's a reunion of sorts going on. We're in one of the private rooms in the back."

"Ah, I see… you look very beautiful. Your companions are very lucky to be in your presence," he told her genuinely.

Her cheeks turned a lovely rosy shade which made Draco smile.

 _Ah, I've still got it._

"Thank you, Draco. You look very handsome yourself," Hermione complimented, smiling at him. "Your tie makes your eyes look silver too."

He blushed to his chagrin but gave her a crooked smile all the same.

"That was the point. So, what brings you here? Aren't you supposed to be with your friends?"

 _Not that I'm not thankful to see you. Christ, feels as though it's been ages._

"I told them I'd be going to the loo but went out to the lobby to stretch my legs. Once Seamus and Dean start singing their dirty songs… well, there's no stopping them really. Plus, the blatant yearning in Ron's stares made me uncomfortable," she muttered, scrunching her nose.

"Finally 'fessed up, did he?" Draco chuckled although he felt irked that the redhead couldn't control himself around Hermione.

Hermione blinked her doe eyes at him and cocked her head.

"How did you know? Did he tell you something?" she frowned, pressing her lips into a thin line.

 _What I wouldn't do to kiss those lips… gods, Draco! Get it together, man._

"No, but I gathered from the way he looked and spoke to you," Draco shrugged, not wanting to out the man.

 _Lord knows why. He'd definitely deserve it. But I don't want to come off as a snitch._

"Oh… guess it was obvious to everybody but me," Hermione mumbled.

"It happens. He'll get over it," Draco smirked.

Again _, the poor sod._

"So, what brings _you_ here?" she asked him.

Draco paused for a moment but settled for telling her the truth. He was saved from answering, however, by Astoria's arrival. He cringed at the way she stared blankly at Hermione before slowly sweeping her eyes down her body. Astoria lifted a brow superciliously, as though unimpressed, before sitting down.

"Hello," Hermione answered, looking slightly rosy.

"Hello," Astoria answered, not bothering to look at her.

Draco glared at her before turning to Hermione, who was glancing between them as though she'd begun to realize she'd walked into a date.

"I'm sorry, I'm clearly interrupting…"

"Caught on, have you?" Astoria muttered nastily.

Hermione swallowed thickly and looked down at Astoria's champagne glass, eyeing the lip print on the rim.

"I'm sorry," Hermione repeated quickly. "I'll just… Draco, it was really good seeing you. You… you haven't read your book, have you?"

Astoria finally looked up at Hermione, narrowing her eyes suspiciously before turning to Draco.

"No, I… I haven't. Why? Not trying to get me to spoil the book for you, are you?" he joked, not ready to have Hermione walk away from him yet again.

"No! No… I just… that's to say… I was just curious," Hermione explained weakly. "Well, I'll leave you two to continue your… date. Have a good evening."

 _Curious, indeed._

She gave Draco a quick smile, meeting his eyes briefly before turning around and walking away as quick as her heels let her. He couldn't help but stare at her shoes, which were the same bold red as her lips. His heart beat even faster just looking at them.

 _What a woman._

"Who is she, Draco?" Astoria demanded, scowling at him.

"I… she was on the flight with me. She approached me, asking what my thoughts were on the book I was about to read."

She pursed her lips and glanced at the direction Hermione had gone.

"Could she have been any more obvious?" she questioned snidely.

"What do you mean?"

"She has a crush on you or something. It'd be cute if you weren't so monumentally out of her league," she sneered.

His heart paused for a moment before it sped off.

"She… _what_? That's ridiculous, Astoria. Hermione… _she_ doesn't fancy me," he stuttered, feeling his face redden.

Astoria's eyes narrowed upon him calling her by her first name but mercifully chose not to comment.

"Oh, Draco… you are so blind," she told him in a saccharine voice. "It's quite pathetic, actually. Though I can understand how you wouldn't even consider it."

"Perhaps I am blind," he mumbled under his breath, eyeing the woman before him. "But there was no need to treat her like that. She was nothing but courteous to you."

She rolled her eyes as she took a sip of champagne.

"Not like I'll see her again, thank goodness," Astoria shuddered. "Did you get a look at her?"

 _Oh, did I. My only regret is not kissing her back… or talking to her longer._

"I don't know who she's trying to fool, dressing like that. Who wears black, anyway, unless they're going clubbing or to a funeral? It's so _gauche_ ," she laughed meanly. "Plus red heels… during holidays? Totally cliché. I bet that gaudy bracelet on her wrist wasn't even real. Besides, did you get a look at her lipstick? Only harlots wear red."

Draco felt his temper build as Astoria continued to criticize Hermione, mimicking her voice and snorting scornfully.

"What a bookworm. I bet that's the only way she'd ever get a man like you to talk to her. Doesn't she realize you were only talking to her because it's the polite thing to do? As if you would ever be interested in the likes of her."

Draco stared at her stonily, trying his best not to snap at her even if she was trying his patience.

"She definitely looks like a librarian… gods, how _boring_. Plus the way she kept looking at you with those dull brown eyes of hers… the color reminded me mud. And that _atrocious_ hair of hers! I'd like to slap silly whoever told her she looked okay. Though she's quite forgettable if you ask me."

 _Her hair? It didn't look atrocious to me… not that I paid much attention to it. It looked nice although I vastly prefer those curls of hers._

"She's definitely fooling herself if she thinks she has a chance with you. Plus, it was quite pathetic of her to bring up the book or whatever. She was _clearly_ trying to exclude me from the conversation. I wonder what a person like her was doing in a restaurant like this anyway," she sniffed indignantly.

"'A person like her'?" Draco repeated through thinly pressed lips.

"Yes, she's clearly not like us. You, know, coming from prominent family. I could smell the poor off of her," she snickered immaturely. "She probably—"

" _Enough_."

Astoria frowned at him and opened her mouth to speak but Draco beat her to the punch.

"That's enough, Astoria," he repeated sternly. "I've had enough of your loathsome, disparaging remarks about her. She's done nothing to you yet you've continually opened your mouth to spill vitriol out of it and quite frankly, I'm sick of it."

"Draco, how could you defend _her_? _I'm_ your date!" she whined like a child.

"I'm defending her because you're being immensely unfair. You keep judging her by her appearance, which was _very_ nice if I do say so myself. Her wrap dress is a classic and I know so because my mother has a handful of them in her closet. There's nothing cliché about red shoes or whorish about red lipstick, if anything, they just add to her allure," Draco said, taking a breath. "You… you may be beautiful on the outside but you're nothing but a spiteful, jealous little girl who puts down a better woman in order to feel better about herself. You've done nothing for yourself but living off _daddy's_ fortune and I feel genuinely sorry for you because you'll never know just _how_ rewarding it feels to earn your own money or to make a difference in the world."

Astoria gaped unattractively at him, her face slowly becoming blotchy.

 _Not so beautiful now, are we?_

"I was only here as a courtesy to my mother but it's been made clear that we have nothing in common. You may order whatever else you want… but I'll be taking my leave now. I'm sorry to have taken your time and I hope you grow up," Draco told her sincerely, rising to his feet.

"Draco, no! I… don't go!" she cried out, trying to reach out for him.

"I'm sorry, Astoria, but I don't want to lead you on. I see nothing happening between us and all I see when I look at you is a striking but massively spoiled girl."

"I… I can't believe it! You're _nothing_ like the Draco my sister told me about!"

 _And I couldn't be happier about that._

"I'm sorry you feel that way. Have a good evening," he nodded to her before making his way to the exit.

Once he parked in the garage of his ancestral home, Draco rested his forehead against the steering wheel and let out a loud sigh.

"What a disastrous evening," he whispered. "Aside from seeing Hermione, of course. Gods, is she gorgeous…"

He exited his car and quietly made his way through the mansion, hoping he wouldn't wake anybody up. Draco had begun to remove the knot in his tie just as he reached his bedroom and was about to throw it aside when a shadowy figure in the corner of his room caught his attention. He halted, feeling a trickle of fear run down his spine before bright lights flooded the room.

"Draco, it's just me," his mother chided, a smirk on her face.

He grunted and stepped into his bedroom and shrugged off his outer layers, unceremoniously dropping them on his bed.

"Good evening, mother," he replied cordially.

"I got a very interesting phone call from Hyacinth Greengrass."

"Is that right?" he muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

"I was told that you left Astoria by herself at the restaurant but not before reprimanding her," Narcissa said seriously although her eyes were dancing in amusement.

"Yes, well, she deserved no less," he muttered.

"Draco, please sit," she told him gently.

He sighed inwardly and did as his mother asked although he couldn't quite meet her gaze.

"What happened?"

"I… she was charming until she wasn't. That's it," Draco shrugged aloofly.

"Draco," his mother admonished him. "I know that's not the whole story."

 _Should I tell her? Can I truly confide in my mother? She's supported me unfailingly in my endeavors..._

He ran his fingers through his hair again and met his mother's inquiring gaze.

"There's… there's a woman," he began tentatively.

His mother clapped her hands eagerly, letting out a very un-Narcissa like squeal.

"I knew it!"

"You knew there was a woman?" he questioned disbelievingly.

"Well, I knew something was wrong…" she rectified sheepishly. "I noticed you weren't your, erm, _vivacious_ self."

Draco gave his mother an unamused glare before sighing.

"Who is she? Where did you meet? Will I meet her?" she asked impatiently.

"I met her while our flight was delayed. She approached me. I thought she was going to hit on me but instead inquired about the book on my lap," Draco explained, feeling the embarrassment from that day wash over him yet again.

"Oh, Draco," she chastised him lightly. "Not every woman has _that_ in mind."

"I know that now," he mumbled, feeling a blush rise on his cheeks. "After that initial awkwardness on my part, the conversation just… flourished. I found myself opening up, sharing things I wouldn't ordinarily share with a woman I've just met."

Narcissa watched him intently, a slight smile on the edge of her lips.

"She's so witty but cheeky, her thoughts are poignant and she's so kind, Mother. Oh, but she's not just sugar. She's plenty feisty as well and has a streak of stubbornness that could rival mine. But most importantly, she didn't treat me like Draco Malfoy, CEO. She treated me like Draco, the person. She didn't kiss my arse and didn't hesitate to call me out on my bulls—well, you know. It… _she_ was a breath of fresh air. To make things worse—"

"'Worse'? Oh, Draco, what did you do?"

"No! I didn't do anything. Well, I did. Inadvertently. I… judged her by her looks as she approached me. Before she opened her mouth to me and I thought I had her all figured out," he chuckled humorlessly. "But I'd never been happier to be proven wrong. She's unlike any woman I've met before."

"Well, at least you realized your mistake. What happened then?"

"Well, we had dinner, which she _insisted_ on paying. It was a slight to my ego but it'd never happened before which made me understandably speechless. Something she took advantage of and proceeded to pay, the little sneak," Draco recounted fondly.

Narcissa nodded, looking deeply pleased.

"But even when we'd just met, there was a part of her that seemed hesitant to open up. First it was her surname, then it was her job. Not going to lie, I came to my own conclusions about the latter but it all became clear once we'd finally boarded the plane. What a surprise I had then," he chuckled drolly.

"Oh? What happened?" his mother asked, curious as to what could have possibly surprised her somewhat jaded son.

"Well, just before boarding the plane I told her goodbye and that I was pleased to have met her, assuming I wouldn't see her again. I was brooding when the passenger next to me dropped their bag loudly and I was _so_ ready to bite their head off… when, to my surprise, it was none other than her. She noticed my expression and proceeded to chide me for judging her based on what her clothes. _That_ taught me to never commit the same mistake twice," Draco smiled wryly. "Thing was, mum, she wasn't upset about my snap judgment. The chit looked amused! _Amused_ that I'd assumed she was poor. But then… I received an even bigger shock when a passenger collapsed."

"Oh, no! Were they okay?" Narcissa asked, worry in her eyes.

"Eventually, yes. But when the flight attendant asked for a doctor… guess who sprang out of their seat?"

"Your young woman," Narcissa smirked.

"One in one. Hermione, that's her name, turned out to be a doctor. You should have _seen_ her mum. Had I a doctor like her as a child, maybe I wouldn't have been such a brat about check-ups," he chuckled. "She was both soothing but determined… I'd never been more in awe in my life. After diagnosing the passenger, both he and the flight attendant praised Hermione though she looked a little timid at having so much attention bestowed upon her. Once they asked for her name, she paused before answering."

"What _is_ Hermione's last name, darling?"

"Granger… Hermione Jean Granger, born to parents Helen and Paris," he smiled goofily, recalling their conversation about names.

"That's amusing," his mother tittered, covering her mouth with her hand delicately.

 _Hermione does that too._

"Yes, it really is," Draco agreed.

"What are her parent's professions?"

"They're both dentists and actually own their practice. When I mentioned having taking over Father, Hermione told me her parents were a bit disappointed when she didn't become a dentist. She assumed they wanted to pass on the practice to her but she joked that the heart wants what the heart wants… which I got much later on."

"Granger… Granger…" his mother muttered thoughtfully. "Oh!"

"You've heard of them?" Draco queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course! They're quite famous, you know."

"Are they? I didn't know."

"I wouldn't expect you to, darling. They have quite a story. They started out as a small practice but have grown to be so successful they even attend to celebrities," Narcissa informed him. "Word is that they're booked year-round and you have to make an appointment _at_ _least_ a year in advance."

Despite his cynical nature, Draco couldn't help but feel impressed.

"Wow, that's pretty great. No wonder Hermione's so ambitious too," he said with a slight smile on his lips.

"Does your Hermione specialize in anything, dear?"

My _Hermione… I quite like the sound of that._

"Oh, yes! She's a cardiologist."

Narcissa stared at him for a beat before tittering.

"'The heart wants what the heart wants,'" she parroted, nodding her head. "That's quite clever."

"Isn't she?" Draco asked, feeling pride swell within him.

"So what happened next?"

"Well, we fell asleep together—"

Draco saw his mother's eyes widen and shook his head vehemently, blushing to the roots of his hair.

"No! Not like that! I just mean…" he trailed off, gulping loudly. "I meant that we both fell asleep, in our assigned seats. I… I found it strangely intimate although a part of me… well… I felt comforted by her presence. I usually don't sleep well in airplanes but I succumbed to it once I closed my eyes."

 _Maybe I won't mention that I woke up before her and watched her… don't want my own mother to think I'm creepy._

"Aww," she cooed, to which Draco glared at her. "I knew my sweet boy was still in there somewhere."

Her words triggered Astoria's words about him not being who he used to be but decided to keep it to himself for the moment.

"When the plane landed, we both exited quietly though we walked side by side to baggage claim. I fished her suitcase for her and made our way to the exit. I… I'm not going to lie, Mother, I was struggling to have the courage to ask for her number and was _just_ about to when someone shouted her name," Draco said and paused, shaking his head. "No, not her name. A sickening nickname, more like. It turned out to be her ex, who had _volunteered_ to pick her up despite the delay."

"I don't like the sound of that," Narcissa muttered, pursing her lips together.

"Oh, you should have seen him, mum!" Draco groaned, closing his eyes. "The bloke looked as though he'd literally just rolled out of bed. Untidy ginger hair, unsightly freckles… to make things worse, he kept mooning over Hermione. It was a struggle not to lose my dinner then and there."

"How did Hermione receive him?" his mother questioned uneasily.

"Well, she looked happy enough to see him _but_ I knew there weren't any lingering feelings for the ginger on her part," Draco answered, feeling relief wash over him once again.

"Oh?"

"She'd told me that she reason she'd left England was because she didn't want to marry the bloke, which he'd been hinting at, after graduating. She explained to me that he was undoubtedly expecting her to be a carbon copy of his mother, who seems to coddle him," Draco sneered, "and knew she wasn't that type of woman. So, instead of giving in, she broke things off with him because she didn't want to disappoint or grow to resent him."

"That's quite smart of your Hermione. What a level-headed young woman," Narcissa nodded approvingly. "But what makes you think there isn't anything but friendship in her heart for this young man?"

"She, well, she told me that it was a struggle, but that they finally repaired the friendship between them. They were best friends before they became lovers. I took it to mean that when a woman works hard to repair a friendship with someone she used to date, she's not interested in him romantically any longer… what do you think?"

"Seems sensible enough."

"Oh, but mum… Hermione went to the loo, leaving us alone and the fuc—bloke has _the nerve_ to tell me that whatever my intentions with Hermione are, to just forget them because he was going to ask her to consider getting back together with him. Gods, how it infuriated me! But what made things worse is that I let his words get into my head! He proceeded to say that Hermione wasn't my type anyway and that I'd probably want her for one thing and then discard her, effectively breaking her heart. It offended me deeply, mum. Not because of what his words implied of me, no. Because you know it wouldn't have been the first time I've pulled that stunt on a woman," Draco said, feeling mildly ashamed as he admitted that to his mother. "No, it insulted me because the bastard had the nerve to imply that a woman like Hermione could never catch my eye. Which is utter bollocks because Hermione… she's beautiful, yes. But there's more to her than her attractiveness. She's whip smart and has a heart of gold. But she's also sly and ambitious and she deserves to be thought of as better than that. Especially by someone who claims, I assume, to love her."

Draco noticed his mother eyeing him intently and flushed.

"But instead of telling him to shove it, I let my insecurities take over and remained quiet. I let her go, mum!" Draco groaned softly, shaking his head. "You can't believe how much I've regretted keeping quiet. Even _she_ looked mildly disappointed too. But mum… the most incredible thing happened tonight. After Astoria sauntered off to the loo, who calls my name but Hermione? Turns out there was a reunion of sorts going on and I'd never been happier to see anybody in my life, ever."

"Oh, Draco! That's _so_ wonderful, son!" Narcissa explained, clapping her hands lightly.

"It _was_ wonderful to see her again, mum. Especially after having come to terms that I'd likely never see her again. She looked _so_ beautiful, too… sure, she was wearing a dress, heels and makeup and even managed to tame her hair, but she was still _Hermione_ underneath all that."

"You've made me curious, Draco… what was she wearing on the flight?"

"Jeans, trainers and a bulky sweater along with her coat and scarf. Not very flattering, I'm not going to lie, but she looked _so_ bloody comfortable I let myself wonder what it'd be like to cuddle her," Draco admitted, blushing slightly.

"And what was she wearing tonight?"

"A black dress… like the ones you have. You know, Von something?" Draco asked, shrugging. "I recognized the silhouette and the style. That day, she had her hair up into a ponytail but her hair, mum… her hair is a mane of curls. Her curls are s _o_ unruly that a few tendrils had escaped as the hours passed. But tonight it was sleek and tamed and looked like it was up in a French twist. From what I could notice, her makeup was natural but her lips… _oh._ She had on red lipstick and it just _did_ things to me. That along her red silk heels. Gods… I wish I could have been on a date with her instead of Astoria just so I could keep staring at her. What interested me was her choice in jewelry. She wore a bracelet in the shape of a snake. It coiled around her slim wrist and looked to be encrusted with diamonds. But knowing what she does for a living… not so surprised she could afford it."

Which brought to mind Astoria's nasty words about Hermione.

"But what about Astoria, Draco?" Narcissa questioned warily.

"Oh, mum… it was a bloody catastrophe," he groaned, shaking his head. "Astoria was abominably rude to Hermione, who was very gracious about it. But once she seemed to realize that I was on a date with that… that _harpy_ , she sort of paled and then left. Once she was gone, Astoria began to say some of the _most_ venomous nonsense about her. I tried to be patient, I really did, but she kept getting nastier and nastier and I just couldn't stay quiet anymore. I'm not going to repeat what she said because it's utter rubbish and it doesn't merit being repeated since they were rants of an envious little girl. But I basically told her to grow up and that she could order whatever else she wanted but that I was leaving… and I did just that."

"I'm so proud of you, Draco. I'm glad you stood up for your Hermione and put Astoria in her place," Narcissa told him, a pleased twinkle in her blue eyes. "Although…"

"Hmm?"

"I wonder if Hermione's ex really did try to talk her into giving their relationship another go."

"Oh, he did alright," Draco laughed. "Hermione wasn't very happy about it."

"By the sound of him, he's not very deserving of her," she sniffed resentfully.

"To think he had the bollocks to tell me the same," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Did he? That little swine!" Narcissa huffed angrily. "How _dare_ he insinuate Draco Malfoy isn't worthy of Hermione Granger?"

"I might not be, mum… you must have of an idea how quickly I went through women," he confessed in a discomfited tone. "Plus you know how the competition paints me as… I'm not a saint."

"You may not be one, son, but you're not evil, either. Perhaps a little misguided but it seems like the company of a certain woman has done you good."

"Astoria told me something just as I was about to leave… how I wasn't the Draco her sister told her about," Draco blurted out.

"Do you agree?" Narcissa questioned keenly.

"I agree," Draco admitted quietly. "Although it seems a bit unreal, doesn't it? To have my life flipped upside down in a manner of a few hours because of a woman?"

"I can understand why you'd feel that way, son. You've always been very set in your ways and to have a woman, a perfect stranger really, barge in on your life and have you question everything you feel… what are you going to do, son? I'm guessing you weren't able to ask for her number then?"

"No, I wasn't but—" he stopped, recalling how Hermione had inquired about his book.

He rose to his feet and grabbed the book, which was sitting on his nightstand and stared at it.

"No… it seems impossible, right?" he whispered to himself, stroking the cover reverently.

"Draco?" Narcissa questioned, watching him inquisitively.

His hand shook as he opened the book, inspecting the pages slowly. Draco couldn't help but feel sorely disappointed and chastised himself for even getting his hopes up.

"She asked whether I'd read the book… I got ahead of myself, it seems," he chuckled humorlessly. "Maybe she asked out of curiosity's sake."

But he couldn't get how flustered she looked out of his head. Just as he was about to put his book back, he flipped to the very last page. Draco felt as though his heart skipped a beat when he spotted the neat and feminine handwriting.

 _Just in case._

Followed by her phone number.

"She gave me her number… she wrote her number in my book. That little minx!" Draco laughed, feeling delirious happiness bubble in him. "It's like she knew…"

Narcissa extended her hand out and he passed her the book. She smirked at the message and then squinted her eyes.

"There's something written underneath that, Draco."

He leaned towards his mother and indeed saw that her number was followed by another message but in smaller print.

"' _PS. Sorry I defaced your book_ ,'" Draco read, feeling his heart swell with affection.

"Well, that certainly solves your problem, doesn't it, son?" Narcissa questioned smugly.

Draco looked up at her, still barely able to believe Hermione had the audacity to write her number in his book.

 _Besides, when did she even have the time to do this? Maybe she wasn't as asleep as I thought when I went to sleep… clever, cheeky minx._

"Draco, you _will_ call her, won't you?" Narcissa pressed.

"I…"

" _Draco._ "

"Mother…" he trailed off, feeling helpless all of a sudden.

" _Draco Lucius Malfoy_."

He cringed, knowing his mother meant serious business when she called him by his full name in that tone.

"You cannot back out now, son. Especially after behaving like a moody teenager ever since arriving to the Manor," she added under her breath. "She gave you her number and turned down her ex… what more could you possibly ask for?"

"You should have seen her face after she realized I was on a date with Astoria, mum. You would have thought I'd told her Christmas was cancelled. How do I come back from that? 'Oh, I'm sorry my date was such a raging bitch but it was a one-time thing and so would you pretty please give me a chance? I'm a bit of a prick, but you'll eventually warm up to me'?" Draco drawled sarcastically.

"Yes! Well, perhaps you could phrase it a bit differently. But it's the gist of it, isn't it?"

"What if she hates me for not jumping to her defense?" Draco whispered, biting his lip and looking miserable.

"Draco, if she's every bit as kindhearted as you tell me she is, she'll understand. Please, son… I've never seen you look so happy. You should give her a call. Or text. I'm sure she'd love nothing more than to hear from you," she told him gently, pressing a hand on his shoulder. "You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Besides… she gave you her phone number for a reason, right?"

Draco only nodded slowly, mulling his mother's words over in his head.

"Perhaps it'd be best to go to bed, sweetheart, and sleep on it. You'll feel much better tomorrow, just you wait," she smiled, pressing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Just don't wait too long, Draco. Your Hermione sounds special… I'm sure you're not the only man who'd have noticed it."

"Thanks, mum," he grunted, climbing into bed fully clothed.

 _I'd be a prize idiot if I let her go again. But can I really let go of my fears and follow my heart? Oh, hell… decimating a rival's company feels like child's play compared to matters of the heart._

* * *

 **I don't hate Astoria, either. No, really, I don't. XD I actually want to write a fic where she's nice and all that jazz. We'll see.**

 **Like always, thank you for taking the time to read. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Third and final part! I hope y'all enjoy!**

 **All mistakes are mine.**

 **Disclaimer: Do I even have to say it? Oh, I do? Well, it's not mine. If it were, Dramione would be cannon. ;P**

* * *

The evening of the Christmas party arrived much quickly than Draco had anticipated. He had yet to contact Hermione (much to Narcissa's annoyance), finding that his courage would dwindle whenever he glanced at her handwriting.

Draco decided to wear his best black suit, pairing it with a black shirt and tie. Draco smirked as he styled his hair, admiring how the dark color made his skin and hair look even fairer in comparison. After preening in the mirror, he grabbed the invitation and stared at the address.

"Grimmauld Place," Draco muttered under his breath. "Why does it sound familiar?"

Shaking aside whatever lingering reticence he had about attending the party, Draco arrived at Grimmauld Place. Shutting his car door shut, he turned and felt his mouth drop at the sight. It was quite larger than the average house, being three stories tall with columns. He shook himself and tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat, walking briskly.

 _Who'd have thought Potter owned a house like this?_

After handing his coat over to the man at the door, Draco gazed around the inside of the house and followed the sound of music and chatter. As he stepped into what he could categorize as the ballroom, he was mildly surprised by the amount of people that had been invited to the soiree.

"Malfoy!"

He snapped his head to the direction of the voice and saw that it was none other than Harry Potter making his way towards him. Draco smirked at the sight of the raven-haired man, who looked impossibly uncomfortable in his dapper suit and gelled-down hair.

"Potter," Draco nodded his head, acknowledging the host. "Looks like you finally tamed that thing you have on your head you call hair."

The man flushed slightly but mumbled something about his wife but then eyed Draco intently.

"I'm surprised to see you here, quite honestly."

"I was invited, was I not?" he drawled, snatching a glass of champagne from the passing waitstaff.

"You were, yes," Harry nodded. "But the hesitance on your face when I gave you the invitation was impossible to miss. I know you're not a people-person."

"Excuse me?" Draco sputtered. " _I'm_ not a people-person? Who's the one who makes negotiations with people, oftentimes in a different _language_ and who is the one who looks like he just might hurl if he's approached by another guest?"

Harry blushed brightly and took a hasty sip of his drink.

"Exactly," Draco smirked triumphantly. "So… I'm a little surprised by the venue. I hadn't realized you came from money."

"I don't, not really. It belonged to my godfather Sirius and it passed on to me once he died," Harry answered quietly.

 _Sirius? Could it be…? Surely there aren't many men who went by that name._

"Ah, I see," Draco muttered politely. "It's nice. Perhaps a little too gothic for my taste."

"You should have seen it before," Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "Looked like something out of a horror movie."

Draco snorted and took another sip of champagne.

"You know, we're related," Harry piped up.

Draco choked on his champagne and coughed before glaring at the bespectacled man.

"What on earth are you on about? How could you and I possibly be related?" he questioned in a scandalized voice.

Harry rolled his eyes and said, "Not by blood, you prat. I just meant that _my_ godfather Sirius is _your_ mother's cousin."

 _Ah… I was right, then. I don't think I've ever heard Mother talk about him._ _I suspect it has to the with the fact that her older sister murdered him in cold blood after going mad._

"And that makes us related _how_?" Draco sneered, swirling the remnants of his champagne.

"Like I said, _not_ blood-related—"

"Thank God," Draco muttered under his breath.

"Just related in that you and I have… you know what? Never mind," Harry huffed.

Draco snickered, delighted to see the man become flustered.

"You're just a trust-fund baby."

Draco quirked an eyebrow and stared at the man curiously.

"Oh, just something my friend says… she lives in America and has had all sorts of delightful phrases and words rub off on her," Harry explained with a grin.

Draco felt a tingle go down his spine but ignored it.

"Oh. Well... while I may have grown up with money you know very well that I'm quite excellent at earning it myself nowadays," Draco shrugged coolly.

"I think we _all_ know that, Malfoy," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Oh! Look, it's my friend. The one I just mentioned…"

Draco turned curiously, missing the mischievous glint in the man's eyes. A woman in a green gown was talking to a redhead, one he (unfortunately) recognized as Hermione's ex. His mind quickly put two and two together when her laugh rung through the air.

 _I could recognize that sound anywhere... Hermione._

His eyes raked her back, which was mostly bare. Her green dress had a large v-shape cutout in the back, dipping just above the base of her spine. The bodice and long sleeves of the dress were lacy while the bottom of the dress looked like velvet, pooling at her feet. What caught his attention next was the glittering necklace she wore, which looked as like it was in the shape of some sort of animal. Draco squinted his eyes and felt his heart pound foolishly as he realized just _what_ kind of head rested against her spine.

"Mione… Mione!" Harry called out, cupping his hand against his mouth.

Draco hissed softly (both at the awful nickname and Harry's squalling) and gripped his glass tightly when Hermione turned around. She immediately found Harry and grinned at him but then her eyes slipped from her friend's face to Draco's. Hermione's eyes widened imperceptibly and color rose in her cheeks as she began to walk their way, having been beckoned by her friend. Draco could almost hear the multitude of thoughts running through her head and focused on not giving anything away with his expression.

 _Anything I have to say is just between the two of us._

To his vexation, her ex followed, scowling at Draco.

"Hello Harry… Draco," she nodded graciously.

Draco suppressed a twinge of disappointment when she gave him a polite smile.

 _Well, what did you expect? A hearty snog?_

He watched as Harry raised his dark eyebrows expectantly at Hermione, who blushed.

"We've met before," she muttered.

"Ah, right."

"So, what are you doing here, _Draco_?" Ron asked brashly.

"I believe I was invited," he answered smoothly.

 _Not that it's any concern of yours._

"By who?"

" _Whom_ , Ron," Hermione corrected gently.

"By Harry here, of course," Draco answered, smirking inwardly.

"Why would Harry invite _you_?" he blurted out.

"Because—"

"He doesn't owe you an explanation, Ron," Hermione interrupted, giving her ex a stern expression.

"But Mione—" the redhead whined.

"But _nothing_ , Ronald… and how many times must I remind you not to call me that ghastly name?" Hermione snapped, narrowing her pretty brown eyes at the ginger.

Draco chortled inwardly, relishing the way the man's ears turned maroon and watched as his freckles disappeared into his blush.

"Oh, Ron… have you tasted the finger foods yet?" Harry asked hastily.

"What? I… no—"

"Come, then! You'll love them," he said, taking at his friend's arm and pulling him along.

Ron turned to look at Hermione before eagerly following after Harry and Draco watched them go, deeply amused.

 _A one-track mind, that one._

"Sorry about that," Hermione told him quietly. "I'm afraid Ron isn't very subtle sometimes."

"It's quite alright," Draco shrugged.

Now that he was alone with her, he felt something fluttery in his stomach come to life.

"You look… breathtaking, Hermione," he told her ardently, looking into her eyes.

She blinked rapidly as a blush grew on her cheeks.

"Thank you. You look striking. Black suits you magnificently," she murmured, looking at him from under her sooty eyelashes.

He managed to give her a crooked grin despite the way his heart stuttered.

"Thank you," he nodded, pleased at her compliment. "I'm quite interested in your necklace…"

Her eyes widened and she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip as Draco watched intently.

"I… I like dragons," Hermione replied meekly.

"May I see?" he queried courteously.

She only nodded before turning around, giving him a close up view of her necklace. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he eyed how it was wrapped around her neck once before the head and the tail met in the back. Every bit of it was covered in what Draco reckoned were diamonds although it had two tiny emeralds as eyes. Very lightly, he brushed his thumb against the head, inadvertently ( _or not so much_ , he smirked) against her spine. He heard a soft gasp and watched as gooseflesh erupted, relishing her reaction.

 _So she definitely feels something. Now, to be a man and do something about it._

She whirled around, two pink spots on her cheeks.

"It's marvelous," Draco nodded appreciatively.

 _I wonder… was that really her reason for wearing that necklace? Or am I thinking too much of myself?_

"Thank you," she murmured from behind her glass.

He observed the front of her dress and though it looked simple, Draco found that it was beautiful in its simplicity. Although the neckline practically covered her collarbones, her bare back and the fact that it fit her like a glove more than made up for it. He approved of the simple diamond studs in her earrings and found his eyes wandering to her hair. Chocolate brown curls cascaded from its updo, one nearly brushing the curve of her neck. Draco's fingers itched to stroke it but knew he might not be able to get away with it after his stunt of caressing her back.

"Listen, Hermione… I'm sorry about Astoria's dismissive attitude at the restaurant. She—"

"Don't worry about it, Draco," she interrupted softly. "It's not the first nor will it be the last time it happens. It's alright."

"No, no it's _not alright_ ," he pressed angrily. "It's unfair and… you deserve better. You really do."

A corner of her lips curled upwards, soothing Draco's ire somewhat.

"Thank you. It means a lot," she nodded, gulping loudly. "Where… where is she, by the way?"

Draco shook his head slightly and stared at Hermione, whose eyes had lost their shimmer.

"'Where is she?' Who are you— _Astoria_ , you mean?" he asked, puzzled.

"Well, yes. I thought she'd be here with you," she smiled although he noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Why would _Astoria_ accompany me to—"

"Draco!"

He closed his eyes and groaned loudly, not caring if was rude.

 _Speak of the devil and she shall appear._

Despite the frustration he felt at her untimely arrival, he observed (much to his amusement) that Astoria wore a slinky red silk gown despite her past proclamations about the color.

 _What a bloody hypocrite._

"Astoria, good evening," he bid her civilly enough.

To his annoyance, she grabbed on to his arm and clung to it all the while ignoring Hermione. She, on the other hand, watched them impassively.

"Draco," she simpered, nuzzling her nose against his bicep.

 _Urgh… I detest clingy women. Although I suppose I wouldn't entirely mind if_ Hermione _did it…_

He entertained himself for a couple of seconds imagining Hermione cling to him, batting her eyelashes at him and pouting at him attractively. Draco was snapped out of his daydream when Astoria turned to look at Hermione.

"—doing?"

 _Oh, gods… I hope she didn't just ask what she's doing talk to me._

"I'm well, thank you. How about yourself?" Hermione queried cordially, a small smile touching her lips.

"I'm excellent now that I'm with Draco," Astoria answered, tone dripping honey.

Draco grimaced and he saw Hermione's expression tighten faintly.

"Well, I'll be leaving the two of you now…" she began, looking away uneasily.

"Nooo, do stay," Astoria pouted, clinging even closer to Draco.

Hermione turned to look at Astoria disbelievingly, who in turn smiled guilelessly at her.

"I'd really rather not," Hermione answered in a clipped tone. "Good evening. Draco, it was good… it was nice to see you again. Enjoy the party you two."

With that, she nodded her head regally at them before turning around and walking away. Draco's heart clenched uncomfortably as he watched her before turning to Astoria.

"What in the blazes are you doing here? I doubt Potter invited you," he grit out through his teeth.

"I crashed," she shrugged.

"You… _what_? How did you even find out about this party?" he hissed at her.

"I might have bribed one of your secretaries…" she smiled impishly.

Draco stared at her in utter incredulity.

 _That's it. Somebody's getting fired. I will not stand for this breach of my privacy._

"How?"

"I told her that I was your girlfriend and was curious whether my significant other was going to attend any holiday parties," she shrugged without a care in the world.

Draco sucked in a deep breath, feeling as though he were about to explode. He glanced around, noticing they were attracting quite a bit of stares before grabbing Astoria and dragging her to one of the balconies.

"But you're not."

"She certainly didn't know that. Look, Draco, I will go to _any_ lengths to go what I want… and guess what? I want _you_. I don't care _how_ dirty I have to play or who I involve," she told him, dropping her sweet and innocent façade.

 _Ah, the viper's finally come out to play._

"Astoria, can't you see just how wrong that sentence is?" Draco snapped, shaking her gently.

"Is it wrong to care for someone and wanting to be with them?"

Draco swallowed thickly and felt himself begin to turn to look into the ballroom but stopped.

 _No need to give her any more ammunition._

"No, it's not. But you're going about it in the completely wrong way. You can't force your feelings on someone else," he told her quietly.

"You like her, don't you, Draco?"

"I…" he trailed off, simultaneously beginning to panic and scolding himself for being so obvious.

"I don't quite understand what you see in her, although I do suppose she's kind," Astoria shrugged. "But she'll never understand what it's like to be one of us."

"'One of us'?" Draco parroted skeptically.

"Yes! To grow up with high expectations from our parents, being forced to marry in order to form alliances…"

"You clearly never did your research on her, Astoria, and have _no_ idea who she is. But let me assure you that her parents had high expectations of her also," Draco told her firmly.

"'Had'?" she questioned, perking up.

"It's a bit of a lengthy story which is also not your business. Besides, it's not my story to tell," he shrugged.

Astoria stared at him for a long time as though she were trying to figure him out.

"It's not just a crush, is it?" she whispered, eyes glazing over with tears.

"I… barely know myself," Draco admitted softly.

"Does she know?"

"No. She has no bloody idea and I've been too much of a coward to let my sentiments known. Besides, she seems to think you and I are together," Draco laughed bitterly.

"Oh… you should probably let her know we're not," Astoria told him ruefully.

"Probably. It would definitely help my case, I think. If she doesn't hate my innards by now, anyway," he muttered cynically.

"It's impossible to hate you, Draco," she cooed, taking a step closer to him.

He watched her warily and she gave him a sheepish smile.

"It really is impossible to hate you," Astoria repeated seriously.

Draco scoffed and gave her a look.

"You barely know me, Astoria. The person you fancy isn't quite me anymore… although I'm still me at the core," he said slowly, furrowing his brow slightly. "But I digress… you only think you fancy me but—"

"Do not presume to tell me what I feel!" she shrieked.

Draco took a subtle step back and watched as Astoria blushed deeply before smoothing her perfectly coiffed hair down.

"I apologize," Draco told her, raising his hands as if to show her he meant to harm.

"It's… it's okay. I'm over-excitable," she murmured, looking up at him. "It's just… you look so handsome."

"Thank you," he responded gruffly.

"What about me? Don't I look pretty too?" she asked sweetly, smoothing her hands down her dress.

Draco sighed inwardly before nodding.

"You look lovely, Astoria," he told her in a monotone voice.

She frowned at that but then shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I… I suppose it was improper of me to just show up and expect you to take it well. Especially when the object of your affection is in attendance," Astoria apologized, her eyes briefly flickering over his shoulder before settling onto his face.

"It's… quite alright, Astoria. You're young. You'll learn."

"How about a hug?" she asked, giving him a nervous but toothy smile.

 _Women, I'll never understand some of them._

"Sure. Come here," he said, beckoning to her.

She let out a girly squeal and launched herself into his arms, causing Draco to stumble back a couple of steps.

"Oops," she giggled, looking up at him with a blush painted on her cheeks.

He gave her what could pass for a smile and was about to pull away when he felt her lips crash against his. Instead of pushing her away, Draco's brain froze and Astoria seemed to take it as encouragement because she let out a moan and deepened the kiss. He felt the tip of her tongue poke his lips and that's when his brain seemed to spark back to life. Draco pushed her away and frowned down at her, ready to give her a piece of his mind. But instead of looking repentant (and at him, for that matter), her eyes were sparkling and focused over his shoulder.

Draco turned on his heel and felt his stomach fall when he noticed Hermione standing at the doorway, clearly having witnessed the kiss. Her dark eyes were wide and shiny; his stomach tightened when he realized they were unshed tears.

"Hermione…" he began, taking a tentative step towards her.

"Hermione, it's _so_ good to see you again. Before I forget, I apologize for treating you _so_ unfairly at the restaurant. It was wrong of me to treat one of Draco's _friends_ so badly," Astoria told her in the most saccharine voice Draco's ears had ever had the misfortune to have heard.

He saw Hermione swallow thickly, her eyes focusing on Astoria's face. He felt sickened by the malicious twinkle in her green eyes and felt doubly guilty for not stepping in yet again.

"It's… I…" she trailed off, giving herself a quick shake. "It's fine. I apologize… I didn't mean… I was just… happy Christmas."

She looked at Draco, a maelstrom of emotions in her eyes before turning on her heel and practically running off. He heard Astoria scoff and rounded on her, feeling murder in his heart.

"What the _fuck_ where you thinking, Astoria?!" he growled, tugging at his hair.

He recalled how her eyes looked over his shoulder just before asking for a hug and let out a louder growl.

"You know she was there, didn't you?" he demanded, towering over her.

"Yes, I did know! It's exactly why I did it! That bitch had to be put in her place!" Astoria replied haughtily.

"'The _bitch_ '? Astoria, you are clearly out of your mind! You don't fancy me, you're _obsessed_ with me!" Draco shouted. "You obviously don't care who gets in your way as long as you get your way!"

"It had to be done," she shrugged.

"You... you're foul," Draco said, looking at her with disgust.

"No! I'm not! I'm just ambitious and—"

"You're cold-hearted and if you think that I'd ever be interested in the likes of you well, I just feel bad for you," he sneered at her.

Astoria gaped at him but then seemed to gather her bearings because she gave him a cruel smile.

"I'm the one who ought to feel bad for you. You think your precious Hermione is ever going to look at you after that?" she taunted. "You'd be lucky if she even deigned to let you be in the same room as her."

Draco felt his heart drop, knowing she was right but let his fury wash over him.

"You are a manipulative bitch, Astoria. You played me and you can bet it will never happen again. You're just pathetic and I feel sorry for you. You think that by wearing something red you're going to catch my attention? Good luck next time… and by next time, I mean _never_. Don't you ever dare look at me or talk to me and the same goes for Hermione. If I _ever_ get word that you so much breathed her way, there _will_ be hell to pay," he told her in a low voice, never looking away from her eyes. "Am I clear?"

Astoria stared at him with wide eyes and he could hear her heavy breathing.

 _This is the Draco you wanted, wasn't it, Astoria? Better be careful what you wish for, sweetheart._

"Do I make myself clear?" he pressed, glaring icily at her.

"I… it's clear. It's clear," she murmured, swallowing loudly.

"Good. Remember… I have eyes and ears everywhere," he told her, giving her a cold smile before turning on his heel.

 _I don't usually delight in threatening women but Astoria just had to be stopped. What an infuriating little girl._

He tried not to dwell on her words concerning Hermione and looked around the ballroom, looking for a green dress but wasn't so surprised when he didn't spot her. Draco did, however, see Harry giving him an irritated look but shrugged it off.

 _Who knows what crawled up Potty's panties… I might as well go home. It's futile to remain when I know I'll be in a terrible mood for the remainder of the night. Plus, she's not even here anymore. Not that she'd talk to me if she were. Gods, I'm in the worse situation_ ever _._

Once he got home, Draco imbibed on the finest whiskey he could get his hands on until he got sleepy only to awake to a terrible hangover the next day. He felt desolate, brooding everywhere he went and felt thankful when it was time to go to bed. He had to go to his office the next day and he was relieved that he'd have work to distract him from his misery.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

He snapped out of his reverie, having just sat down from firing the secretary who'd given Astoria information.

"Yes, Abby?"

"Mr. Potter's here to see you."

He frowned but nodded, "Let him in."

 _What's going on? We're not scheduled to have a meeting today._

The man entered his office quietly and took a seat, watching Draco through narrowed eyes.

"For the love of… what is it, Potter? What are you doing here?" Draco queried impatiently.

"I have a huge bone to pick with you, Malfoy," Harry told him somberly.

Draco's brow twitched at the expression but he realized he must have picked it up from Hermione, feeling his heart twinge at the thought of her.

 _No, focus on Potter and his… erm, bone._

"Well, what—"

"Hermione."

Draco stared blankly at Harry before it dawned on him.

"You… saw?" he questioned weakly.

"No, I didn't. Although I did see her looking distressed before running out of Grimmauld Place. But when I went to visit her yesterday… well, I got the whole story."

"Oh."

"I was rooting for you, Malfoy. I was rooting for you and you've let me down," Harry told him grievously.

"Er… what?"

"Let me start from the beginning…" Harry murmured, getting comfortable on the seat but never once losing eye contact with Draco. "When Hermione arrived from the States, there was a spark in her eyes I hadn't seen in a very long time. Being a male, I had no idea what it was about until she mentioned something that caught my attention. After some probing, she relented and recounted meeting you. I'd never seen her look so bloody enthused about a person, let alone a man. Hermione may be a doctor and yes, it's a job that keeps her close to people but truth it, Hermione is a private person. She's friendly, yes, she has a heart of gold, yes, but it's not easy for her to just approach someone as she did with you. _That_ was my tip-off that it was serious. But when she described you, your wit and how you challenged her… well, I knew she had a crush. She confessed her disappointment when you didn't ask for her number but then smiled cheekily and said that she had taken care of it, just in case meeting her ex had put you off."

"When did she do it?" Draco asked quietly.

"She said she waited for you to fall sleep. She told me how she felt 'tremendously creepy and a little guilty' at nicking the book from your bag," he chuckled fondly. "But then told me that if she got a text or call from you, it'd be worth it."

"I suspected as much," Draco murmured, looking down at his desk.

"Did it?" Harry asked after a moment of silence.

"Did it what?"

"Did having Ron there put you off?"

"I… yes. But _not_ in the way that you're thinking," Draco added when Harry scowled at him. "Although he is extremely tactless."

"That he is," Harry snickered. "What did he say that put you off?"

Draco squirmed in his seat, unsure of how open he should be with Hermione's best friend.

 _You need someone to talk to, damn it. Besides, having input from her best friend can only help you at this point._

"He told me that he was planning to asking her to reconsider their relationship, so whatever feelings I had, to keep them to myself. He then went on to question my feelings for her, stating his disbelief that someone like me could ever be interested in someone like Hermione. Funnily enough, told me that I didn't deserve her, something I've never doubted," Draco shrugged.

Harry heaved a deep sigh.

"Christ, Ron never fails to put his foot in his mouth. He means well, he really does…" he trailed off, giving his head a shake. "Needless to say, I'm sure you know by now that she turned him down."

Draco simply nodded.

"A few days later, when I saw her again, I asked whether you'd contacted her. Her face fell and she shook her head and suggested that perhaps you hadn't read the book yet… had you?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"To be honest, I didn't even _think_ to look at the book until she mentioned it at the restaurant," Draco told him candidly.

"Ah, yes… the restaurant," Harry sighed yet again.

"What did Hermione say?" Draco asked nervously.

"Well, she was thrilled to have seen you and gushed about how handsome you looked. But when she mentioned that you were on a date… she confessed that she felt like she wanted the earth to open and swallow her up, so great was her embarrassment. She reprimanded herself for getting her hopes up, saying that _of course_ she should have known that a man like you wasn't single and stated she wasn't surprised you hadn't contacted her. She said she felt like a slag for pushing herself on you," Harry informed him quietly. "Those were her precise words."

Draco closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm such an idiot," he whispered.

"You are," Harry conceded. "Why didn't you, by the way?"

"Cowardice," Draco admitted simply, opening his eyes to look at Harry.

"I see."

"Have you talked to her?"

"Yes, she came to me yesterday," Harry nodded.

"How… how was she?" Draco asked in a choked whisper.

"She was a mess. I don't think I'd seen her so down since… well, probably since she and Ron broke up," he said before frowning suddenly.

"What is it?" Draco queried desperately.

"It just occurred to me that I don't really know the goings-on in her life when she goes back to the States. We text and Skype, yes, but… other than that… I couldn't tell you the last time she cried. This is _not_ good. I've been neglecting my best friend," he muttered under his breath. "But that's neither here nor there and it doesn't concern you. No offense."

"The hell it doesn't! Hermione's one of a kind, Potter, how can you be neglecting her?" Draco snapped.

"How can you have broken her heart, then?" Harry retorted sharply, glaring at him.

Draco flinched but nodded grudgingly, attempting to ignore the heaviness in his chest at Harry's bluntness.

"Point taken," he murmured humbly, running his fingers through his hair again. "I've fucked up, haven't I?"

"It's… it's not your fault, not really," Harry sighed, softening his voice. "She didn't know you aren't really dating Astoria and you… well, you didn't step up when it was time to do so. Although I can understand why. Sort of."

"I… felt intimidated. I'd never met a woman like Hermione and I… didn't want to disappoint her," Draco began softly. "Your ginger pal's right, I don't deserve her, but Christ, _do I want to_."

"Maybe you should tell her that."

"How? I would completely understand if she didn't want to see me again," Draco burst resentfully.

"I wouldn't be so sure… look. Her feelings are hurt, yes, but you didn't do it on purpose. This thing between you two is fixable. I know you're uncomfortable with being vulnerable, but if anything, _this_ is the moment to bare your feelings and thoughts to her. She'll understand, Malfoy. She's forgiving… she'll forgive you. She'll probably punch you first but she'll forgive you," Harry smirked.

Draco huffed but let his words mull in his head.

"I want to see her."

Harry watched him for a long moment before reaching out for the stack of sticky notes and pen on Draco's desk and writing something on it. He pushed it towards Draco before rising to his feet.

"That didn't come from me," he grinned. "Good luck, Malfoy… you better make her happy."

The 'or else' hung in the air though Draco had no intention of _not_ making her happy. He was speechless and watched him leave before looking down at the slip of paper.

 _It's her address. Gods, he gave me her bleeding address._

Panic gripped him and Draco quivered in his seat.

 _No…_ no _. It's time to be a man and tell her how I feel for once, like I should have ever since meeting finding her number in my book._

It was as though the gods were against him because Draco was practically chained to his desk the next three days, going home long after the sun had set. It was on Friday that he finally got a break and decided that he _had_ to visit Hermione because he knew she'd be going back to the States soon.

He wanted to wear a suit since they usually made him feel powerful but decided against it, realizing that the meeting to come wasn't yet another business meeting in which he had to assert his authority; he didn't want to intimidate Hermione or scare her off (though he doubted she'd be one to run scared).

 _If anything, she's the type to face things courageously. Gods, I admire that about her._

Draco ended up choosing a pair of dark denim jeans, a black cashmere jumper with a grey button down underneath along with black combat boots. After slipping on his leather gloves and coat, he made his way to his car and carefully drove to the address, ignoring how his hands shook despite the tight grip he had on the steering wheel.

Draco finally arrived to the house and found himself in awe by how _normal_ it looked.

 _Hmm... I'd expected it to be showier._

After taking a deep breath and counting to sixty, he reached out a trembling hand and knocked on the door. Both his stomach and heart felt as though they were being squeezed and part of him wished that nobody was home. But just when he was reaching out to knock again, the door swung open and who he guessed was Hermione's mother stood gaping at him.

 _So, her hair is like her mother's._

"Er… good afternoon. My name is Draco Malfoy and I'm here to see your daughter Hermione. Is she home?" he questioned as smoothly as he could muster.

After staring at him for a couple of more seconds (he noticed she zeroed in on his teeth after he started speaking) she shook herself and gave him a smile.

"Yes, Hermione's home. Sweetie, there's a young man here to see you!"she called up the stairs.

 _She's up there. I'll be seeing her in a few seconds… gather what little bravery you have, Draco! It's now or never._

"Mum! You _know_ I don't appreciate you calling Ronald that," she called back, sounding a touch aggrieved. "It stopped being funny ages ago!"

 _I'm not sure whether I should feel insulted by that._

Hermione's mum turned to him, giving him an apologetic smile and Draco's nerves ebbed a little. Before he could say anything, Hermione was stomping down the stairs, clearly ready to continue berating her mother but stopped short when she saw Draco.

"Hello Hermione," he told her quietly, pleading with his eyes for her to stay.

"Well, I'll leave the two of you alone," her mother said, stepping away from the door.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Granger," Draco told her politely.

She beamed at him and turned to Hermione to say, "I like this one. Invite him in, Hermione."

That broke Hermione's reverie and she huffed at her mother, who winked at her as she left them alone.

Draco took that time to notice how comfortable Hermione looked. She wore yet another bulky knitted sweater, leggings and a pair of thick socks while her hair was in a messy plait.

 _She's so beautiful._

"Well, come on in," she sighed, motioning for him to step inside.

Draco entered and closed the door behind him, struggling not to fidget on their welcome mat.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Hermione asked him softly, playing with the ends of her hair.

"I came to tell you… erm, is there a place where we can converse comfortably?"

After eyeing him silently, she nodded.

"Yes, follow me."

He followed her to what he assumed was the den and she flopped down into a corner of the couch while Draco sat on the other end.

"Well?" she asked impatiently, crossing her arms.

"I came to tell you how I feel," he choked out.

Hermione blinked before turning a pretty rosy shade.

"Draco, you needn't come all this way… hang on, _how_ did you get here?" she questioned skeptically.

"My car, of course," he answered cheekily.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't get cute with me. Who told you who I lived here?" Hermione demanded, her cheeks growing magenta. "Never mind… I know who it was. He's in for a world of pain."

"Don't take it out on him. He meant well," Draco found himself saying.

Hermione watched him intently while he blushed and looked away from her.

"You don't need to tell me anything, Draco," she spoke softly. "I… I'm sorry. I should have known you were in a relationship. I shouldn't have pursued you and I'm sorry if I put a strain on—"

"But you're wrong!" Draco burst out, not wanting to have her apologize to him any longer.

"W-what?"

"I'm _not_ in a relationship with Astoria, I never was. That night at the restaurant was a one-time event and I only went as a courtesy to my mother. I'm _so_ sorry for not making that clear sooner but then she arrived at Potter's party and everything went downhill from there," Draco told her, looking into her eyes.

"You're… you're not together?" she whispered hoarsely.

"No! Gods, no. As if I could _ever_ be attracted to the likes of her," Draco said scathingly.

"But I caught you two kissing…" she trailed off and then blushed.

"She orchestrated it perfectly, the manipulative little wretch. She saw you coming and asked me for a hug which she used as an excuse to kiss me. I can assure you that I didn't reciprocate," he told her quietly.

Hermione swallowed loudly and looked away from his eyes.

"I never heard from you," she whispered.

" _I know_! I know… and you have _no_ idea just how much I've hated myself for not reaching out and pressing those digits. I'm not a brave man, Hermione. I'm actually surprised by how candid I'm being right now. I think it's the adrenaline."

She chuckled quietly and turned to watch him.

"I didn't think you were interested…"

"Gods, I was… I _am_!" he groaned, massaging the bridge of his nose. "I've never been _this_ interested in a woman before. It scares me although it thrills me just as equally."

A corner of her lips quirked upwards and Draco found his hope rising.

"You've never had a woman keep you on your toes, have you?"

"Never."

 _But I'd be quite willing if it was you._

"I really like you, Draco. I… my flings… at the risk of sounding cliché, I've never felt this way before," she confessed, biting her lower lip.

"Not even with your ex?"

Hermione cocked her head and then shook it.

"That was different."

"Oh?"

"Raging teenage hormones and rose-tinted glasses make for a terrible combination," she smirked. "Though the latter could also be called 'idiocy.'"

Draco's heart started at the sight and he chuckled.

"It... _this_ scares me too. That I'm feeling too much, so quickly. Because I barely know you… yet I feel like I've known you for much longer than I really do," Hermione continued pensively. "I'm leaving tonight—"

"You're leaving already?" he interrupted, disheartened.

"Unfortunately, yes. I received a call about a patient who's had an emergency…" she trailed off, shrugging.

Draco's heart sank but he felt thankful he was talking to her in that moment.

"If I had come any later I would have missed you."

"Then I'm glad you're here now," she muttered, scooting closer to him. "Draco… I like you. But how are we going to—wait… what exactly do you feel for me?"

He saw her grow hesitant and reached out for her when she began to move away.

"Hermione, I like you a lot," Draco told her, giving her a smile. "You challenge me like no woman ever has before and every poignant thing you've ever said has lingered within me, turning me surprisingly introspective. You don't kiss my arse and are unafraid of calling me out on my shite. That, coupled with your loving heart and bright smile…"

He trailed off, fascinated with the blush on her cheeks.

"Draco… do you… _oh, this is so silly_ ," she muttered under her breath. "Do… do you love me?"

Draco cocked his head, giving the thought its due merit.

"I don't, no… but I could, very easily," he answered her frankly.

Hermione closed her eyes and sighed deeply. When she opened them, he noticed they were shiny with tears.

"What is it?" he asked, gently squeezing her arm.

"We live so far away," she whispered, her lower lip trembling. "How will we get to know each other further when we lead busy careers along with the time difference?"

Draco stared at her, unable to answer her without sounding negative.

"That's two things already working against us. I can also see myself falling in love with you… but without spending time together, how will our relationship even begin to flourish?"

 _This woman is one of a kind, Draco. You just don't let a gem like Hermione go. Sure, she has her flaws, but then again, so do you._

"We _make_ things work, Hermione," he told her firmly. "We can set a time apart for talking, one that benefits us both. We can text daily… Christ, I can't believe I'm about to say this but, if there's a will, there's a way."

Hermione stared at him for a long moment before giving him a bright albeit watery smile.

"You really _do_ like me, don't you?"

Draco huffed and pursed his lips playfully.

"What gave it away, I wonder?" he drawled. "The fact that—"

But Draco wasn't able to continue because Hermione reached over and pulled him into a searing kiss. He responded instantly, tugging her closer to him and losing himself in the softness of her lips.

 _If these aren't the fireworks every woman claims to want to see, then I don't know what they are._

Her fresh, flowery scent wafted into his nose and Draco felt intoxicated, pressing Hermione closer to his body. She nipped his lower lip, gently soothing it with her tongue afterwards and he groaned. They continued to kiss passionately until they began to grow short of breath before finally pulling away. They watched other each other before Draco grinned goofily and Hermione gave him a shy grin.

Very tenderly he brushed an errant curl from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear while Hermione watched him raptly. She, in turn, smoothed his jumper down since she had gripped it tightly in her hands in a particularly passionate moment. His heart jolted at her touch and couldn't find it in him to feel embarrassed that she could possibly feel his racing heart.

"Did you wear that necklace because of me?" he whispered abruptly.

"Yes," Hermione replied breathlessly. "Although I had no idea you were going to be there..."

He nodded, infinitely pleased with her answer and pressed his hand over hers.

"So… at least one text per day?" Draco murmured.

"Yes. We can agree then on the calls," Hermione agreed, nodding her head.

"Sounds good to me. Would you mind if I saw you to the airport?"

Hermione's face fell slightly and Draco felt his heart sink.

"I don't think so," she muttered regretfully. "It's not that I don't want you there, I'd love to have as much time as possible with you… but it'd just make parting even more difficult."

"I understand. Would you text me when you get home?" he asked hopefully. "It doesn't matter what time it is here. I'd like to know you got home safely."

She gave him a soft smile and nodded, brushing his messy fringe to the side.

"You know… before you approached, I thought you were going to—"

"What? Hit on you?" she interrupted, tittering.

He narrowed his eyes at her but nodded.

"Another delightful American expression, I take it?" he drawled. "But yes."

Hermione's face grew thoughtful before she gave him a cheeky grin.

"Well, whether I did or didn't… I still got the bloke in the end, didn't I?"

Draco stared at her, speechless, before tickling her madly. Her laughter soothed the ache in his heart and when she was crying out that she was just about to wet herself, Draco stopped and embraced her.

 _Gods, I'm going to miss you, you cheeky minx._

Just before he'd left her house, Hermione told Draco that there was going to be a conference in February and inquired whether he'd like to see her then. He didn't hesitate to say yes and was delighted when she beamed at him.

"I don't expect you to wait for me, Draco," Hermione had told him tentatively. "As a matter of fact, I'd like for you to go out on dates. That way, you don't feel like you're missing out."

After wryly telling her he's gone out on enough dates to last a lifetime, Hermione told him that if it made him feel any better, she would try to date too. Draco wasn't as amenable to that, but didn't want to come across as a possessive tosser so he agreed. When he asked her the date of her conference, she chuckled.

"Funnily enough, it's the weekend of Valentine's Day," she said, wrinkling her nose. "But I'll arrive a day early so we can go out on our date."

He told her that he would pencil her in and she proceeded to pull him into another passionate kiss.

The first month crawled by slowly, much to Draco's disappointment. They hadn't been able to talk to each other on the phone as much as they liked, so they appointed Sunday to be the one day where they would call each other because it was the one day they both didn't work. They texted multiple times throughout the day and even sent a few emails back and forth. Despite not being able to see each other face to face, Draco thought that he and Hermione were getting to know each other splendidly.

Draco knew that Hermione had gone on a couple of lunch dates with co-workers and had tried to keep the jealous undertone out of his texts to her. He'd gone out on a couple of dates himself but Draco found himself listless, with his mind wandering to Hermione and so he stopped. He was elated when Hermione had confessed she'd felt the same during her dates.

When February rolled around, Draco began to grow nervous. He wasn't sure if he ought to greet her with roses and chocolates since they barely missed Valentine's Day.

 _She's a woman… what woman doesn't love all that flowery tripe?_

But then he paused, realizing that Hermione wasn't just _any_ woman.

When the day of their date dawned, Draco was awake early like a boy awaiting Christmas. He tossed and turned, trying to go back to sleep but his mind kept thinking of every possible scenario upon seeing her again.

After a leisurely shower and shaving, Draco took his time choosing the perfect outfit and eventually settled on a pair of pressed navy trousers, grey button down shirt and a navy cardigan. After fussing terribly over shoes, he choose a pair of brown wingtips and finally styled his hair in his usual neat but tousled 'do.

When the hour of their meet-up began to creep up, Draco began to feel the fluttery feeling in his stomach again.

 _Is this what the women call 'butterflies'? Must ask Hermione… or not._

He arrived at the tea shop where they had agreed to meet and Draco let out his anxiety by tapping his fingers against the table.

 _Christ, I don't think I've ever been early for a date. Is this how women feel too? What exquisite suffering._

Exactly on the dot, Hermione walked into the tea shop and Draco felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room as he admired her beauty.

 _Gods, it's been far too long._

She wore a lovely cream coat, her curls (managing to look both wild but sleek) poking out of the beret that matched perfectly to the color of her cherry red lipstick. Draco assumed she wore a dress because he could see a peek of her pantyhose but his attention was then captured by the incredibly sexy knee high black boots she wore.

Hermione spotted him and grinned, immediately making her way to him.

"Draco!" she cried, throwing herself into his arms just as he stood up.

"Hermione, it's so good to see you," he murmured into her curls.

"It's lovely to see you too, Draco. It's been too long," she told him, squeezing his middle affectionately.

They pulled away and stared a beat too long into each other's eyes, causing a blush to rise on their cheeks. After ordering a cuppa and catching up, they decided to move along with their date. As they exited the tea shop, Draco reached out for her hand only to find she'd done the same. After exchanging a quick grin, they intertwined their fingers.

Draco looked at Hermione every few seconds, unable to believe she was by his side yet again. He tried not to think about the fact she'd be gone by Monday and focused on the happiness and calm she brought him. He felt mildly puzzled by the fact that he would smile whenever he looked at her and that his heart would swell whenever he'd catch her looking at him but cast it to the back of his head; he wanted to be in the moment with her instead of being stuck in his thoughts.

"So… I hadn't told you what I'm about to divulge because I didn't want to count my chickens before the eggs hatched…" she began and Draco began to fret.

 _It couldn't possibly be good, could it?_

"But… when I got back, I'd put in a request to be transferred to a hospital, where, you know, I could be closer to my loved ones. Well, turns out my request was approved. Starting two weeks I'll be working in a hospital here," Hermione told him nonchalantly as Draco gaped at her like a fish out of water. "I've got most of my things packed and ready to be shipped although I brought as much as I could on this trip—"

"You minx!" Draco growled, pulling her aside and into his arms. "For how long have you kept this from me?"

She tittered, righting her beret and looking up at him tenderly.

"Since the beginning of February."

"And you're telling me this _now_?"

"I _told_ you, I didn't want to get ahead of myself in case the request got denied," she told him in that bossy tone he'd grown to adore.

"I… I… I don't even know what to tell you. I'm a little overwhelmed," Draco muttered, looking away from her eyes.

"Hey…" she breathed, extricating a hand and gently tugging his chin so she could look into his eyes. "At least now you have all the time in the world to figure out what to say to me."

Draco gave her one of the crooked grins she'd (grudgingly) confessed she loved before pulling her in for a kiss that stole their breath away.

 _Do I ever… and I've never looked more toward to my future than now with Hermione by my side. Life is brilliant._

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it. With this plot bunny out of the way, I can fully focus on You Again once again. Sorry guys, I hadn't meant to push that one aside but I'd pushed _this_ for too long and it refused to go away.**

 **Thank you for the wonderful reviews and for following and adding the story to your favorites.**

 **Like always, thank you for taking the time to read. :)**


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